Coming Home
by Sarge's Girls
Summary: School teacher Bella sends a care package and letter to Army sergeant Edward, who is stationed in Afghanistan. They begin a relationship through letters, phone calls, and video chats. There's love, there's language, and there's adult situations, plus a strong, independent Bella and the Edward we all know and love.
1. Chapter 1: Bella

**A/N:**

**JenRar: It's about damn time we started posting this!  
Drotuno: No kidding. I think we've teased everyone long enough.  
JenRar: Teasing's not a bad thing...  
Drotuno: *grins* Teasing can be very, very...mmm good. But...it's cruel to tease without some sort of...reward for the trouble.  
JenRar: I suppose Sarge counts as a good reward, huh? Does that mean we have to share?  
Drotuno: Mmm, Sarge... Wait... What? SHARE? *sighs* I suppose we have to. It's time, I guess.**

**We know, we know. We've been teasing you guys for a long time. We wanted to make sure this was as good as we could make it for you because it totally became a labor of love for us. We both fell in love with Sarge, and honestly, Jenny kind of wants to be Bella when she grows up. This story started because of a joke Jenny read about a Marine who received a "Dear John" letter like the one Edward received and his response was to send back 50 pictures of hot and sexy women, claiming to not remember which one she was. So Jenny took the idea to Deb, and this fic was born. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed writing it.**

**There are a few things to note before you start reading...**

**1: Bella is odd chapters, always, and they were written by Jenny. Which means Edward is even chapters and they were written by Deb.  
2: It starts off with Edward stationed in Afghanistan. Now, the time difference is 12 1/2 hours...but to keep us from going insane as we wrote it and make it easier to keep track of for you guys, we went with an even 12 hours. So forgive us the half hour time issue.  
3: We took a few liberties for the sake of the story in a fair amount of topics. Neither of us are military wives, so a lot of the military stuff is probably slightly off-and some of it is even flat out WRONG. So again, forgive us those liberties and simply remember it's a fanfic. *grin*  
4: A lot of these chapters are very short, so because of that, we will be posting 1-2 chapters each day. Sometimes it will be only 1, but at the beginning, you're almost guaranteed to get 2 a day for a bit.  
5. If you haven't read the prequels we each posted for this story, check out our individual accounts. You can find them on Sarge's Girls' Favorite Authors. You don't HAVE to read them, but they are a cute little introduction to each of the characters.  
6: The author's note will never be this long again, we promise. So go read! And then please, let us know what you think by reviewing. We want to know if you love our Edward and Bella as much as we do. :)  
****7: We don't own Edward (unfortunately!), Bella, or the other usual cast of characters, but we do own the plot, the story, and a few random people throughout.**

**~oOo~**

March 3, 2010

Hello, Sergeant Masen!

You don't know me. My name is Bella Swan. I am friends with Alice Whitlock, who is married to Jasper, one of the men in your squad.

I hope you don't mind, but he told Alice, who told me, about your ex. I can't believe she had the gall to break up with you while you're in Afghanistan, fighting for our freedom and theirs...and ask you to send her picture back! Who does that?

Don't get me wrong... You volleyed back well. Gathering 50 pictures from your fellow soldiers of their hot wives, girlfriends, and sisters and then sending them back to your ex with a note that said you were sorry but you didn't remember which one she was so if she would pick hers out and send the rest back? Genius move. I commend you, sir. (Does it make me a bad person that I found that too funny and witty? LOL)

Anyway, as much as I found it amusing, I also was just appalled that someone would do what she did – especially the way she did it. I'm sending you this care package to make sure you know that not every person who writes you is like your ex. This is the first package I've put together myself to send to a soldier directly, so a lot of it is my favorites.

Fantasy in Death is J. D. Robb's latest mystery book. I'm also including the first in that series, Naked in Death, in case you haven't read it. If you haven't read it and you like it, please let me know. I would love to send you the others!

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a kids' movie, but I loved it, so I hope you will, as well. I also included Sherlock Holmes, which is probably more "guy" friendly.

Alice mentioned you were really into music, so I included a thumb drive of all my favorites – everything from Adele to Radiohead to Lady Antebellum.

The rest is just general stuff I thought you could use. If you would like anything specific, please let me know!

You have my greatest respect and support.

Sincerely,

Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Did you find Edward's response to Tanya as funny as Bella did?**

**We have so many people to thank that this would end up as long as the first A/N, so check our profile for the names of our fantastic betas, pre-readers, and friends who supported us while we got this ready to post. We owe them all so much.**


	2. Chapter 2: Edward

**A/N... Let's see what Sarge has to say about the nice care package that Bella sent. Note the date because it takes almost two weeks for mail to get to him.**

**I'll let you guys get on with it... :)**

**~oOo~**

March 18, 2010

Dear Miss Swan,

First of all, I must start by sending an enormous thank you. Jasper speaks most highly of you, and for you to take the time to put together such a thoughtful gift means more than I can say.

That being said... If you heard about my ex, then I must apologize. I'm not normally so vindictive. However, I'd given her the option of her freedom prior to my shipping out, but she declined, stating that she was perfectly fine with the separation. Her first letter was fine, her second letter didn't come for a month, and her third asked for her picture back. Perhaps sending 55 pictures of different women along with hers and asking her to return the rest was a bit excessive and immature. In retrospect, of course.

I can already tell that you are unlike Tanya, though my ex has a category all her own. All she's missing are the striped socks and a house on top of her, and she'd be a perfect fit for Oz – the fantasy novel, not the prison on TV.

Speaking of novels, thank you. All reading materials are welcomed, if your question about sending more was serious. I especially appreciate the classics, such as Sherlock Holmes.

In fact, everything you sent was put to use immediately. No one thinks that common, everyday hygiene products are needed, but they are, and I was able to share with a member of my squad who didn't have much to begin with. However, I didn't share a single cookie. Not one single crumb escaped.

The music was the best part, and yet, the worst. It was nice hearing new songs, songs that I hadn't heard in some time, and it seems we have the same taste in music. It also made me miss composing my own music. A piano isn't exactly easy to find in the desert.

If you're serious about requests... I would blow up a building for peppermints! But if I never hear from you again, Miss Swan, which I completely understand...again, thank you.

Sincerely,  
Sergeant Edward Anthony Masen

P.S. Perhaps email would be better or easier? It's certainly quicker. I use freemail with a combination of my initials and last name: EAMasen.

**~oOo~**

**A/N... My favorite part about writing this fic with Jen was the next several chapters...the beginning. I hope you enjoy getting to know Sarge the same way Bella is about to, because there were times that we didn't know what the other would say. Our characters _really_ got to know each other. :D**

**See you guys tomorrow. Leave Sarge some love...or cookies...he doesn't really care which, actually. LOL Mooches, Deb. :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Bella

**A/N: Holy moley! You guys rock! More on that after. For now, let me answer the biggest...complaint really isn't even the right word for it. Yes, the chapters right now are short. Bella & Edward are virtual strangers, after all. ;) They don't have a ton to say to one another yet...and for a bit, it's simply the letters – and starting now, emails – so they will be fairly short in terms of chapter length. They WILL get longer, we promise. Oh, and...since FFn is pulling stories left and right, for future reference, this is being posted on Twilighted, TWCS, & Deb's blog. Check out profile for the links. Enjoy Bella's first email to Sarge and then come back and read his response!**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Fri, Apr 02, 2010 at 1:15 P.M.  
Date Received: Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 1:15 A.M.  
Subject: Greetings from Seattle!

Hello, Sergeant Masen!

I hope this email finds you well – and in decidedly better weather than the dreary rain I'm currently watching through my window.

I was very excited to receive your letter yesterday. I was glad to learn that you enjoyed the items I sent and that they were put to good use. (I don't blame you for not sharing the cookies, by the way! Although, I must admit to stealing a few when I first pulled them out of the oven. They were calling my name, so I just couldn't help myself!)

Ahh, you are a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective? I must say, that warms my literary-loving heart. I, myself, have always had a fondness for his dear friend, Dr. Watson. What else do you like to read? I have a few other ideas for things you might like, but if there is anything else specific, please do share.

Have you played the piano long? Renee, my mom, tried to get me to take lessons when I was a kid, but I can honestly say that I was horrible. I like music, but for whatever reason, I couldn't get my fingers to work right on the keys. As for composing your own music... I've never met anyone who did that, and I am incredibly jealous. Sometimes, I'll make up a tune in my head when I'm doing housework or cooking, but to be able to put it on paper? That would be awesome.

Your letter made me laugh, picturing your ex as the witch from the movie. And thinking of the movie reminded me of Charlie, my dad. When I was little, we would watch The Wizard of Oz together at least once every time I went to visit. So thank you for the smile that brought to my face for more than one reason!

Oops, my free time is almost over, so I'd better get ready for the rest of my day. Hope to hear from you soon!

Bella

P.S. I was very amused to see that we both used our initials and last names for our email...and you're right...this is MUCH faster!

Also, please...no more Miss Swan business. That's what my students call me! My friends call me Bella. :)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: You can already see the easy back and forth between them, can't you? It was honestly that easy writing it. I think sometimes that the characters took over for us and wrote it themselves. *laugh***

**You guys are so damn sweet and amazing! The response to this has been so overwhelming. Deb & I both are so appreciative of each and every review. We've read every single one of them, but unless you have a specific question, we probably won't respond individually. There are so many and real life just gets in the way, unfortunately. But please do keep reviewing! Knowing that you are already in love with Sarge and think so highly of our Bella just makes us feel all squishy inside. We love you guys! – Jen**

**Now, on to Deb & Sarge... ;)**


	4. Chapter 4: Edward

**A/N #1: And let the emails begin... I'm a firm believer in instant gratification on some things. Email was Edward's preferred form of communication, and even his now ex-girlfriend didn't write to him that way, but Bella will. **grins** Let's see how Sarge is doing, shall we? ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, Apr 04, 2010 at 2:13 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 2:13 P.M.  
Subject: The weather?

Dear Bella (aka Cookie Thief),

Just how many of my precious cookies didn't make the trip? Hmm? And just what did you put in them? Because I'm craving more!

If we're discussing the weather, then I'll take your dreary rain any day. The desert is dry, hot, sandy, hot, dry, and... Did I mention hot? That's in the daytime. At night, it turns cold. It makes me even miss Chicago winters. At least the snow made things look better.

Oh, my dear Watson, I do enjoy the fictional detective, as you put it. However, I'm more prone to Alexandre Dumas' adventures...Monte Cristo, Musketeers, men in iron masks. Those stories were written about a time when chivalry wasn't dead, communication was the written word, and a handshake was an honored and legal contract. Plus, the sword fighting was damn cool!

Reading makes for a pleasant distraction when out on patrols for days at a time. It takes the mind off of what's actually around us. Actually, anything to take the mind off of our surroundings would be great – crossword puzzles, or any puzzle books, for that matter.

I've played the piano for as long as I can remember. My mother played and started teaching me as soon as I could make a chord, it seemed. She called me her little Beethoven, at least until I was old enough to ask her to stop. I've always written my own music. In fact, Mom encouraged it right up until she became sick. Most of the time, I didn't even need the piano to write it down. Hey, you wouldn't happen to be able to find some composition pages, would you? Just empty lines so that I can fill my own notes in?

I'm glad my ex can make you laugh. For me, not so much. I suppose it started out okay, but her true witchy colors started to show just about the time I finished basic training. It was when the threat of coming over here loomed over us that she started becoming angry. What's that? Self-preservation? I really think the possibility of me not coming home was too much for her. Just FYI, she didn't return the remaining 55 pictures. The guys are sort of pissed off at me that they didn't get their girls' pictures back.

So...students, Miss Swan. What do you teach? Am I really just trying to hold my own against some literary professor, and you're about to make me feel stupid?

It's time to catch some sleep. My squad has another patrol run tomorrow bright and early. You wouldn't happen to have a spare pillowcase, would you? Mine is rather threadbare these days.

Edward  
(Please drop the sergeant. I hear that enough around here. My friends call _me_ Edward – or sometimes Ed, but never Eddie.)

P.S. I hate to ask, but I could really use some real coffee. Something name brand, perhaps French Roast, and really dark. The stuff they try to pass for coffee around here might be the same stuff the motor pool uses to clean Humvee engine parts. And that's before they serve it every morning.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: It seems our Edward is kinda liking the give and take with Bella. Hmm? You gotta love email, yeah? :) Now they can communicate longer and more often.**

**Leave some love for Sarge. If no cookies, I'm pretty sure he'll take a big ole cup of coffee. LOL See you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	5. Chapter 5: Bella

**A/N #1: Again, the response to this already is so incredible. We love you guys! Now, here's Bella... Edward (along with you guys ;) ) will get to learn a little bit more about her this chapter. Enjoy! – Jen**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 7:15 A.M.  
Date Received: Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 7:15 P.M.  
Subject: Relaxing with my Cinnamon Dolce Latte before school

Edward,

I have to admit that although I live in Seattle, I can't stomach black coffee. Love the smell, but the taste? Not so much. But I am totally addicted to Starbucks and their flavored lattes and espressos and mochas...and if I'm truly feeling decadent, I'll order a Venti Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream—although that one is my special treat. I'd weigh 600 pounds if I drank that every day!

Only two cookies didn't make the trip over there, I swear! (Ok, maybe it was three...) And I promise, there's nothing illegal about them. *grin* My secret...if you promise not to tell anyone...is a teaspoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, vanilla extract _and_ vanilla bean, and finely ground oatmeal. I'm glad you enjoyed them! I hope you aren't allergic to peanuts, because I made my favorite kind of cookies for the new care package... Peanut butter! Just in case, I put them in a separate container than the new batch of cinnamon sugar shortbread.

No, I'm not a literary professor. Originally, that's what I thought I was going to do, but I realized I wanted to teach younger kids, when they are still impressionable and open to learning. Third grade is such a great age. They are still little enough to be sponges, but are just old enough to really start having some good discussions with you. I will admit that my favorite part of the day is English. We just finished reading James and the Giant Peach together as a class. It was one of my favorites growing up, and my class seems to have enjoyed it.

It gets that cold in Afghanistan at night? I guess I didn't really think of that. I figured it was just warm all the time. (Ok, so geography isn't my strong suit...) I included some hand warmers and extra socks in the box I'm sending out today, so hopefully, you'll be a bit warmer at night once you get it! Brrr!

You mentioned your mother in your last email... Where do your parents live? Chicago? Do you have any siblings?

I'm an only child, which sucked a lot growing up. My parents divorced when I was two, and my mom took me and moved to Phoenix. My dad stayed in Forks, which is a few hours from Seattle. He's a cop now – the chief of police there in Forks. He was in the Army years ago, though, right after he turned eighteen, and he's why I sent you the first care package. I remember him telling me how lonely it could get overseas.

Oh, damn, I have to go. Alice just texted me, asking where I was. We have a staff meeting that starts in five minutes.

Stay safe, Edward.

Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So she's an elementary school teacher, not a literary professor. :) As far as I know, Charlie from the books wasn't ever in the military. So that part, I totally made up just so Bella would have a frame of reference from her father's past. I hope you enjoyed! Please leave us some love. *hugs* Jen**


	6. Chapter 6: Edward

**A/N #1: A few of you were worried about Edward...more specifically, what happened to his parents. I think this will answer that question for you.**

**Let's check in with him...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Wed, Apr 07, 2010 at 4:47 A.M.  
Date Received: Tues, Apr 06, 2010 at 4:47 P.M.  
Subject: PEANUT BUTTER? That package can't come fast enough...

Bella,

I promise to truly answer all your questions from your last email, but I'm about to leave for Kandahar. My men and I are being sent out within the hour, and I'm not sure how long we'll be gone.

As soon as I'm able, I'll email you back.

Edward

P.S. I'm always as safe as I can be, but thank you for the concern, truly.

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 10:24 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 10:24 A.M.  
Subject: I'm back :)

Bella,

Are cookie crumbs bad for a laptop keyboard? Oh well...they're staying there until this entire batch of peanut butter is gone. In fact, both them and the shortbread totally make up for the teasing you did by speaking of real coffee. I was a desperate man – I would've taken it black, with peppermint, or just about anything else you could think to throw in there.

Speaking of coffee...THANK YOU! I thank you, my coffee mug thanks you, and my men definitely thank you. Actually, thanks for everything in the box you sent. I didn't realize just how in need of socks I was until I put a new pair on. However, I could kiss you for the music sheets. It's been too long since I was able to sit and jot down ideas.

I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you, but we had some delays. We just got back from Kandahar last night, where we were patrolling the streets. Someone blew up three buses in the city, and we were there to keep things under control until they cleaned up. I lost a man there...Mendez. Carlos was a good man, had a baby on the way. He was hit with shrapnel when one of the fires got too close to a car's gas tank. He was only 19 years old.

I'm an only child, too. I was born and raised in Chicago. Technically, I'm a junior, though I rarely use it. My father was a lawyer, and my mother stayed at home, but like I told you, she played the piano, so she would give lessons for the neighborhood kids on the side just so she wouldn't be bored senseless.

My mother was diagnosed with kidney disease when I was a sophomore in high school. By the time I reached the middle of my senior year, they'd removed one kidney and placed her on the waiting list for a new one. I applied to local colleges and universities, because I wanted to stay nearby, and I was accepted into NIU. She died before I graduated high school.

Dad was just...lost. He started drinking heavily, so I was constantly cleaning him up. One night, just about a month before I was supposed to show up at NIU, he took his own life. I stuck around Chicago just long enough to settle all of their affairs, sell the house, and join the Army. I've been a soldier ever since.

I imagine your students are very lucky, because if you put half the care into your class that you do into these cookies, they'll all grow up to be president, rocket scientists, and astrophysicists. I either need to finish the box or hide the rest before lights out. No one gets a crumb, I tell you!

Edward

P.S. I meant to thank you for the pillowcase, as well. It smells amazing – unlike the guy in the cot next to me, who smells strangely like old cheese and curry. ;)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I know that some of you are ready for reactions and dialogue. Patience, please? Learn them like they are learning each other. Okay? Please trust us. I _promise_ you that it's worth the wait.**

**So Edward's soft spot is peanut butter cookies! LOL And a new pillowcase...and coffee... Hmm...simple pleasures... Leave some love... See you tomorrow... Mooches, Deb! :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you again so very much for the reviews. We love & appreciate every single one of them! Just to reiterate what we put in the author's note for chapter 1... We are taking several liberties with this story – especially when it comes to the military stuff. The biggest thing? In real life, soldiers are NOT allowed to tell their loved ones where they are going and when. In real life, if Edward had told Bella they were leaving for Kandahar? He'd have gotten in majorly major trouble. But...this is fiction. ;) It wouldn't make for as good a story if he said, "Okay, I'm going away. I'll be back when I can," or even just diappeared. So thank you to everyone who mentioned that or offered their military knowledge. We appreciate it, but know that we're okay with taking those liberties. ;) Now, on with the story!**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 4:30 P.M.  
Date Received: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 4:30 A.M.  
Subject: I'm so sorry...

Edward,

I was so sorry to read about Carlos. Loss of life is always a hard thing, but to know he has a baby that will grow up, never knowing him? That's heartbreaking. Please know that everyone in your squad and Carlos's wife and family are in my thoughts and prayers. He died a hero, and while that is probably no consolation now to his loved ones, in time, I hope it brings them comfort.

Losing both your parents in such a short time at such a young age must have been rough. Both my parents are still alive, so I consider myself lucky. Even though I'm not close to my mom anymore, I know I'd miss her if she were gone. Consider me your pseudo-substitute family, then. No one should be alone in this world – especially not over there.

Now, on to more pleasant topics!

I'm glad you made it back safely from Kandahar. I was worried. I've kinda become attached to your emails – or at least to your praise for my cookies! That's great that you enjoy the peanut butter ones as much as I do! Please let me know if there's another kind you would like, or if I should just keep surprising you. I have a few others up my sleeves you might like, or I can just stick with what we know you like.

I had a fellow teacher recommend the coffee since I don't drink the straight stuff. I'm glad it was the right choice!

If I'd know I would get THAT reaction to the music sheets, I'd have sent them sooner! *ponders what I'd get if I sent a whole piano* ;) In all seriousness, I hope you can put them to good use. I know having a creative outlet can help overcome a world of negative emotions. Of course, I expect a song of my own now: Isabella's Overture in A Minor sounds about right, does it? LOL

Speaking of my students... There's a little boy named Christopher. He's shy, quiet, and seems afraid of his own shadow sometimes. He's so thin, it worries me. Earlier today, I saw a bruise on his arm when his shirt sleeve moved up as he put on his backpack to leave school. I'm going to keep a close eye on him, make sure he has enough to eat at lunch, that sort of thing. If I see anything else to raise my suspicions, I will speak to the principal and call Social Services. I hate to think that he is living with abuse, but I'm worried that is what is happening.

Then there is a little girl in my class – her name is Jessica – who has a crush on a boy named Eric. She's always doing the cutest thing with her hands, turning one upside down and holding it against her eye like the lens of a camera, while using the other hand to make it look like she's taking a picture. He pretends to his friends that it bothers him, but I've seen him ham it up for her several times. Kids these days start so early! I swear, I didn't start stalking – erm, paying attention to – boys like that until high school! *grin*

Oh man... I have the TV on in the background, and a commercial just came on for Red Mill Burgers. That's a local place, so I doubt you've heard of it, but they have THE best burgers on the planet. In fact, that's where Alice, Rose, and I are going for dinner tonight. I try and eat healthy most of the time – otherwise, I couldn't afford to enjoy everything I bake! – but when I go to Red Mill, all bets are off! They have a Bleu Cheese N' Bacon Burger, which is what I usually get, although if I'm REALLY hungry, it's the Double Bacon Deluxe with Cheese. That's in addition to the to-die-for fries and onion rings (the girls and I usually get some of each to share between us) and the Truffle Mint, Creamsicle, or Butterscotch shakes. Mmm! If you ever make it out this way, I'll have to treat you to lunch there. No burger will ever be able to match it after, I promise you!

Well, now that I've made you insane with jealousy over my next meal...it's time to sign off. I need to get ready to meet up with the girls. We're going shopping before (and after, if Alice and Rose have anything to say about it. *sigh* LOL) dinner.

Til next time,  
Bella

P.S. I watched Stripes last night when it showed up on cable as I was flipping through channels – I love that movie! – and I kept picturing you as Bill Murray's character, giving this puffed-up speech. Would you be my Big Toe, Edward? (And if you don't get that reference...well, that's it for this friendship. *grin*)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Many of you guessed that Bella would declare herself his family after hearing about his parents. :) I hope you enjoyed! Please review & let us know, and then turn the page, so to speak, & read Sarge's reply. He's delicious. ;)**

**One last note... Deb wanted me to share this story with you guys. I've been married for almost 16 years now. This is the story of how I met my husband, which is kind of what we're basing Bella & Edward's relationship on. My first semester of college in Oklahoma, I got an email chain letter from a friend. You know...the ones that say "Read to this cute story and then forward this email to 10 friends for your wish to come true" or some other bullsh*t like that. I never forward stuff like that, but I was bored that day, so I decided to read through the previous recipients. I noticed one guy with the name of Scott with an email address for K-State, in Kansas. I thought, "Oh, that's a cute name, and he's right near me. I'll send him an email and say hello!"**

**My first email went to him on November 13. He emailed me back 2 days later. We started talking via email and then eventually the phone, sending hundreds of emails, I'm sure, and by December 3, I told him I loved him. He told me he loved me two days later. We made plans to meet in person just after Christmas (I was going out of state with my family for Christmas but would be home the 26.). He came to visit me in my hometown on December 27, and that's when we saw each other for the first time. We hadn't even exchanged pictures up to that point. We kind of knew what the other looked like, but... He stayed in Oklahoma for a few days, met my family, spent lots of time with me, and then we decided I would go up to Kansas, back to school with him, for the rest of the holiday break. I came back to Oklahoma and went straight back to school.**

**We visited almost every weekend, splitting our time with me going up to see him or him coming down to see me. He proposed the weekend after Valentine's Day, when he came to visit. It wasn't two weeks later that I'd had enough of the saying goodbye, so I left school and moved up with him. At the start of summer, he went back to his parents' house, I went to mine, and we both worked to save money and planned the wedding. We got married in August of 1996 and had our son in January of 1998. So to everyone who says you can't meet the person you'll fall in love with online or know within a few weeks that you love someone, I am living proof that you can. If Bella & Edward's relationship seems to move fast, yes, it does...but when you spend all of your time talking via email and phone, you learn so much more about someone than if you were dating like in a normal dating relationship. So really, it's not implausible. Just keep that in mind going forward. ;)**

***hugs* Jen**


	8. Chapter 8: Edward

**A/N #1: I want to give you all big, squishy hugs at the amount of love you guys sent Sarge's way! :) Yes, he's had it pretty rough, and with all the things you guys would send him, he'd be spoiled rotten! LOL And yeah, he tends to hide behind his humor...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 6:22 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 6:22 P.M.  
Subject: I like surprises... Keep 'em comin'!

Bella,

Cruel, Isabella. You're just cruel. How dare you tease a guy with a burger that sounds that damn good? I may just have to take you up on that lunch one day. Bacon, cheese, red meat? You eat like a man, Miss Swan. No girly salads for you – just burgers, fries, and cookies. I like it, and count me in!

Big Toe? LOL! I suppose every Sarge is something like that to his squad, though if you ask my men, I'm probably closer to Tom Hanks' character in Saving Private Ryan than Bill Murray from Stripes. I tend to keep to myself, so they tend to get curious about my life. Hell, most of them don't know about my parents or even where I'm from, so don't say anything. I think they have a bet going as to whether I was actually born to human parents or was just issued to them via the Army. **laugh** I really just don't feel the need to speak much about myself, though I find that you come up between Emmett, Jasper, and me more and more.

Just to warn you... I'm pretty sure they've requested that their wives send them a picture of you for me. **rolls eyes** If you really know those two, then you're well aware of how...exuberant they can be sometimes. They find it hilarious that my ex pissed you off enough to write me. So, to only be fair, in case you're attacked with a camera – and I'm sorry in advance – I'm attaching a picture of myself. I suppose it will be good to have a face to go with the name...and the baker behind those amazing fucking cookies. Perhaps one day when our schedules mesh, we could Skype? Or even just chat in real time?

My mother had a piano student like your Christopher. Marten was like six or seven years old. One day, she was helping him with his posture on the bench. She'd barely placed a hand on his back, but he winced and hissed like she'd slapped him. He was scared shitless, but he let her look at him. I must've been in the sixth or seventh grade and home at the time, but I'd never seen anything like it. Bruises all over that kid! It was the first time I'd ever seen my mom really cry – like silently just...cry...and I don't mean like when you girls watch Lifetime or anything like that. She had no choice but to call the cops. That was his last lesson, because he was removed from his parents' care that same day and taken to his grandparents' home in another state. I always wondered what happened to him, because it was the first time I remember hating an adult so much that I wanted to punch them. I didn't get it, because my parents never once laid a hand on me.

Now Jessica, on the other hand... She sounds like every girl I knew in the third grade. They didn't pretend to take pictures, but they'd wait until I wasn't looking and then run up to kiss me. I pretended to hate it, but really...they kind of smelled nice. It only got worse as I got into high school. I'm glad to know Chicago wasn't the only place that had sixteen-year-old stalking, giggling girls. **raising an eyebrow up at you, Bella** LOL

I wrote Carlos's wife a letter yesterday. It's kind of a tradition in my squad for the CO (Commanding Officer) to give a personal apology to the families left behind. I didn't know what to say to her, other than "I'm sorry" over and over and a "thank you" at the end, because had Carlos not been where he was standing, it would've been me that the shrapnel nailed. And I'm not sure how to wrap my head around that. Here Carlos and his wife have everything going for them, but no one gives a shit if I get out of here. So...why me? Though, to be honest, it feels strange to have someone – you – worried about me. Strange, but good. It's been a long time since I've had to check back in with anyone after a mission.

Jasper speaks of his wife's shopping trips like they're as dangerous as some of the shit we do around here. She sounds like a tornado. Be careful on the streets of Seattle, Bella.

Edward

P.S. A whole piano? Don't tease, Isabella. I'm a desperate man, and it's been too damn long since I've seen a woman that isn't wearing camo or a high-powered weapon...or witches in striped socks. ;) There's no telling _what_ I'd do to able to sit down and actually play. And maybe I will write you a song. Is that a challenge?

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So there was more to the Mendez story than Edward originally told Bella. And he's been talking to the guys... And the pictures are now exchanged! ;) What will Bella think of our man?**

**I'm sure we'll see all of you tomorrow. ;) Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	9. Chapter 9: Bella

**A/N #1: Ooh, it feels good to be back! In case you didn't know, we participated in the boycott for FFn, which is why we didn't post for a couple of days. And then yesterday...well, my sleep schedule is flipped, so I fell asleep before Deb & I made a decision about posting yesterday and slept until dinner. Oops? LOL To remind you...Edward sent Bella a picture, so now you get her response. They are getting more and more details about each other as time goes on, so enjoy! :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 7:00 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 7:00 A.M.  
Subject: Wow...

You're hot! LOL Is that forward of me to say? If so, I apologize. *laugh* You've got gorgeous green eyes – which is what always catches my attention first on a guy. I'm sure your smile would be just as gorgeous – if you were smiling! I suppose there's not a lot to smile about over there most days, huh? Maybe if I bribe Jazz and Emmett enough, they'll carry a camera around with them in the hopes of catching you at a rare moment.

Did you get a photo of me from Jasper? Alice took one with her phone last night at dinner and emailed it right away. If not, I'm including a recent one Rose took of me before we went out to a club. I'm not typically a club girl, but this was not long after my last breakup. The girls wanted to try to get me out of my funk, so the whole day was spent finding the perfect outfit, getting primped and pampered, and then dancing until our feet were ready to fall off at one of the clubs here in town.

You might not be able to tell by looking at me (at least, I hope not, or I'll really have to up my gym time!), but yes, I love to eat! Definitely no girly salads for me. I'm lucky, because I've always been able to eat pretty much whatever I want and not gain weight. I work out a couple of times a week and usually go walking around the neighborhood once or twice a week, as well, which helps in that respect.

Ohh, you're a Saving Private Ryan fan, too? I cry every time I watch it. I totally love Tom Hanks in that (well, frankly, I love him in everything he's in!), but honestly, I'm a Matt Damon girl. Good Will Hunting, Ocean's Eleven (and Twelve and Thirteen), the Bourne movies... Those are some of my all-time favorite movies.

So you talked to Emmett and Jasper about me, hmm? All good, I hope! You should open up to them some... They're great guys, and I know anything you tell them would be held in the strictest of confidences. I've known them for a while, and they've never been anything but sweet and respectful. Just so you know...fair's fair. I've talked a lot about you with Alice and Rose, too. *grin*

That's so sad about Marten! Your mom did the right thing, though. I would love to imagine that he is now an adult, just graduating from high school and ready to go off to college, after having a wonderful childhood with his grandparents. I'm a bit of an optimist, I suppose. I need to look at the glass as half full, rather than half empty. That probably stems from my childhood, when I had to look at it as I got two bedrooms, rather than one, two Christmases and birthdays, etc., rather than just focusing on the fact that my parents were divorced and living hours and hours away from one another. Still, I guess I was lucky. Like you, my parents never laid a hand on me growing up. That's why it breaks my heart so much when I come across a child like Christopher or Marten.

Ahh, the classic run up and kiss him move! Yes, the girls do that occasionally. You boys, though, give as good as you get – although instead of drive by kisses, it's tugging on pigtails on the playground. At least a girl's moves don't hurt! I still remember getting my braids tugged on... Ouch! (Of course..._now_, it's a whole different story. ;) A little tug on the hair never hurt anybody...)

You came that close to getting killed yourself? Just the thought of that scares me...probably more than it should at this point, if I'm honest. It seems I have even more to be thankful for than I thought. Sometimes survival has its own price. I can sympathize with how you must feel, that you survived and Carlos didn't, but I believe that things happen for a reason—and I, for one, am grateful you are still here to write to me. Try to stay out of harm's way, would you please?

Oh, Alice is definitely a tornado – but only of the best kind, really. She's got more energy than I'll ever have, and that's why teaching first graders is the perfect job for her. She's been my best friend for what seems like forever. We were lucky to be able to find jobs at the same school. We're more like sisters now than friends, and when we met Rose in college, she fit in flawlessly. She's the blonde, supermodel type, so you wouldn't know it to look at her, but she's a kick-ass auto shop teacher. It's amazing how many guys sign up for her class because of how she looks. They expect it to be an easy A, assuming she doesn't really know what she's doing, but within a week, the class numbers usually drop by a third. She's a hard ass and proud of it, but she's a great friend.

Now...about that song... Yes, it's a challenge! I've never had a song written about me before! *laugh* I might not be able to send you a whole piano, but I have some oatmeal butterscotch and some toasted coconut macadamia nut cookies that COULD find their way into the next care package...if I had the right incentive.

I've got to go. The girls are coming over any time for dinner and movie night, and I still need to get the lasagna out of the oven. We'll probably drink wine and then crash upstairs on my huge bed for the night.

Bella

P.S. I would definitely be interested Skyping sometime... I have to see if the voice matches the hotness, because I'm a sucker for a good voice. Just let me know when would be good for you.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: There ya go... You learned a bit more about Bella's friendship with the girls, and Bella told him he should talk to Emmett & Jasper. Edward needs real, true friends, doesn't he? Poor guy. :( AND! Bella said she'd be interesting in Skyping! I know you all have been jonesing for that. I promise, it's coming soon. ;) *hugs* – Jen**


	10. Chapter 10: Edward

**A/N #1: Let the flirting begin, right? ;) So we have Bella's reaction to the exchange in pictures...and I'm not so sure I wouldn't have had the same damn reaction. Let's get Sarge's. :)**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 5:31 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 5:31 A.M.  
Subject: Hot for teacher... ;)

Okay, my third grade teacher, Mrs. Brownlow, never looked like you! In fact, I'd say she was the complete and total opposite of you. In every way.

I received both pictures, and I have three things to say... One: Blue is definitely your color. Two: What blithering, drooling idiot was dumb enough to let you go? I sure as hell hope you weren't in a "funk" for long over someone that obviously didn't know what he had, because not only are you beautiful, you've already shown me that you're caring, as well. And three: Do Jazz and Emmett know how you guys look when you go out? If not, I'm totally showing them. **teasing grin**

And yes, Bella, I talk to them about you. I haven't checked my email on a regular basis in over a year, and suddenly, I'm on the damn computer every day. They were bound to notice. As soon as they heard that you'd written me, they started talking and haven't shut up. They're convinced they have the best wives in the whole world, and I'm pretty sure the two of them are your biggest fans. Did you know you had groupies? **laugh** But yes, you're right...they are very good men, and they've saved my ass on more than one occasion. They also seem damned determined to get us the hell out of here, because when I mentioned that burger of yours, they insisted that I had to have one.

You do have an amazing outlook on things. I'm not so sure I could look back on certain situations like you do and see the bright side. Your parents' divorce had to have been hard on you; I don't care how many things were doubled. I still miss my parents, so I can't imagine what it was like being away from one or the other, or being closer to one than the other. Though, if I'd had to choose, I would have stayed with my mother, I suppose. She tended to lean on me more than my father, and I had more in common with her – piano, classic literature, history. People always said I looked just like her, but with my father's build.

Believe me, I pulled my share of pigtails back in the day to get a girl's attention. It's all because girls have our heads spinning, and we have no clue what we're doing. As far as the other hair pulling... Hmm, perhaps you're right...it never hurt anyone. ;)

I really wish you wouldn't worry about me, but if we're admitting fears, then the one that worries me the most is that one day, these emails will stop. I've come to depend on them in a very short time, and I'm not sure what that really means. It's not like I never get correspondence, because I get the occasional "hi, hope you're doing well" from a few people that used to be on my squad, the ex's parents, and old classmates, but they aren't all that often, nor do they seem all that important.

However, I promise to be safe, because how will I ever finish your song? The gauntlet is thrown down, Miss Swan, and I accept. And I always keep my promises. But Christ, those new cookies sure do sweeten the fucking deal! LOL

I don't think I've ever cried during Saving Private Ryan, but Forrest Gump, on the other hand... Just kill me! When Forrest stands under the tree with the note from Little Forrest to Jenny? Yeah, just strip away all my masculinity. LOL Matt Damon, though, is cool. The Bourne movies rock, but it seems like such a safe choice for you. I'd have bet...I don't know...Hugh Jackman or something.

Skype is easy, so let's do this... There's a twelve hour difference between me and you. Next weekend is my squad's furlough, but I've volunteered to stay on base. Can we set it up for next Saturday? My midnight is your noon, so let me know if that works.

Edward

P.S. Nothing is never too forward, especially when something is an honest reaction. I'll take the compliment on my eyes, but if the guys try to catch me in that "rare moment," Bella...for you, I'll smile.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I'm so glad that you guys liked Jen's RL story. I begged her to tell you, because in all honesty, it was the muse behind my side of this story. :) I can't help it.**

**Ok, a couple of housekeeping things. First up, Coming Home nominated for one of the Fics of the Week on The Lemonade Stand. We would love it, if you feel so inclined, if you would go vote! You'll find the poll on the right hand side of the page. It closes in two days, so do it quick! :) www. tehlemonadestand. net (Take out the spaces! Also, if you are typing it in, it's T-E-H, not T-H-E. :) That isn't a mistype!)**

**Second... I know that some of you are former and current military wives and families. We've had a request that we don't know the answer to, so we're sending out a plea for any of you that may know... There are some of our readers out there that are interested in sending care packages to our troops overseas, so if anyone knows a contact number or email, an address, or anything in order to do this, please PM us. We'll be happy to pass on the information and repost it on the next chapter. Please let us know. Thanks. :)**

**Leave some love...or more pics of Bella in blue. I don't know. Sarge is so easy to please. LOL We're back to normal posting, so see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb :)**


	11. Chapter 11: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you for all the reviews. :) We got some great replies about sending care packages. You can find links to them in our profile, along with links to the pictures Edward and Bella have sent to each other.**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:22 A.M.  
Date Received: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:22 P.M.  
Subject: Idiots and lingerie

Good erm...morning! I can't believe I slept in so long. I never do that. Of course, the girls and I were up until around 3:00, so that may explain it... We had fun, though. Last night was comedy night: Couple's Retreat for the romantic comedy aspect, followed by Zombieland, which was ridiculous, and finally...The Hangover, which had us rolling with laughter. Of course, that could have been the three bottles of wine we polished off over the course of the night. LOL We finally crashed into bed around 2:30, falling asleep after half an hour of girl talk. (Yes, you were definitely one of the subjects of our discussion! ;) )

They just left a few minutes ago, and the first thing I did after grabbing a shower was sit down at my laptop and check my email. Like you said in your last message, your emails have become important to me, as well. When I see your name pop up in my inbox, it brings a smile to my face that nothing can erase. I actually talked enough about you last night that the girls tried to smother me with their pillows. Yes...it was a pillow fight at its best, pervy boy. ;)

So let's see... You want to know about my ex, huh? Nothing new, really. Short story: Girl meets boy. Girl and boy begin dating. Six months later, girl walks in and finds boy making out with other girl.

Oh, you want long story? I met Mike shortly after I started teaching. (He teaches fifth grade at the same school.) He was pretty persistent about wanting to take me out, but I put him off for a while, not wanting to get involved with anyone I worked with. When the next school year started and I hadn't had a date in a while, I finally gave in. We dated for nearly six months, and while I wasn't sure marriage – or even love – was in the cards, I was pretty happy. It was nice having a sure thing for dinner, dancing, the movies...or whatever. One day in February, I decided to surprise him with lunch, and instead, I was the one surprised when I walked into his classroom while his kids were at lunch to find him wrapped in the arms of Lauren, one of the secretaries from the front office. As if that weren't humiliating enough, I arrived just in time to hear him ask her if it was true, that he was really going to be a father. Come to find out, he'd been seeing her nearly as damn long as he had me, and I'd had no clue.

I wasn't so much heartbroken as I was shocked and feeling incredibly stupid that I hadn't seen it. That was at the beginning of February. Now, I feel nothing but pity for them both, since neither of them are exactly known for being faithful. Apparently she had a boyfriend while she was seeing Mike on the side, as well. So...good luck to them! *shrug*

We had a girls night out at the club (as you saw from the picture!), dancing and drinking and badmouthing men, and then spent the rest of the night talking about why I was lucky to have found out then what kind of man he really was. (By the way...Jasper and Emmett have been out dancing with us, so they definitely know how we look! Of course, they don't have anything to worry about. Alice and Rose are totally devoted to them and they know it.)

My parents' divorce was definitely hard on me, although I really didn't know any different. I was two when they split, so I don't actually remember them together. You'd think I would be closer with my mom than my dad, since I spent the majority of my time with her, but I'm not. I used to be, but by the time I hit sixteen, I was tired of being the only adult in the house. My mom loves me, but a lot of the time, it was like she was the teenager and I was the adult. I cooked, paid the bills, bought groceries...while she took classes for everything from pottery to glass blowing to tarot card reading. Whatever tickled her fancy, she indulged. When I was seventeen, she met Phil, my stepfather. He's younger than she is and a damn nice guy. He balances her well. He's also a professional baseball player (or was...he's coaching now), so at the time, he would have to be gone, traveling with the team, while she stayed at home with me. I knew it was cramping her style, so I chose to go live with my dad so she could go with Phil. It all worked out for the best, I think. It allowed me and my dad to get that much closer, which is great.

Hugh Jackman is cool (he was sexy as Wolverine...), but overall, I just like Matt Damon better. *shrug* I'm also a big fan of Josh Hartnett (my favorite movie of all time is Pearl Harbor. Don't judge. ;) ), Will Smith, Tom Cruise (well, his movies...not necessarily TC himself! LOL), and Harrison Ford.

Of course, Kate Beckinsale (from Pearl Harbor and Underworld) is my number one girl crush.

The plans for Skype sound great. I have a reminder (not that I'll need it! lol) set up for next Saturday at noon. I'm really looking forward to it.

All right, well, I need to get moving. Got papers to grade and errands to run.

Bella

P.S. You like me in blue, hmm? That's good...I've got lots of blue – everything from dresses to shirts to lingerie. It's always been a favorite of mine, as well. ;)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So Bella has told Edward how much his emails are beginning to mean to her...and the flirting is definitely kicking up a notch. Plans for Skype are definite, and I promise, Saturday will be here before you know it. :) Now, read on to see Edward's response. ;) – Jenny**


	12. Chapter 12: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh, yeah. Mike's an ass. I'm pretty sure Sarge will confirm that. I know you guys are excited for their Skype conversation, but they set it up for Saturday, so note that it's only Tuesday. We've got a few days before that chat happens. Let's see what he has to say about Bella's ex...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Tues, Apr 20, 2010 at 5:25 A.M.  
Date Received: Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 5:25 P.M.  
Subject: What am I going to do with you?

Bella,

Good morning, beautiful! (Well, evening by the time you get this.)

I'm so sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday. Shortly after I received your last email, we went on patrol. By the time we got back, I was dead on my feet. (Yes, I was careful, and yes, we're all fine.) It was a simple patrol. We hardly left the camp, but being up for 24 hours straight isn't easy. Things have been quiet, though I have a funny feeling we'll be sent out again soon. There are rumors that we're going back to Kandahar, and it'll be like last time, where we'll be out of contact. I promise to let you know when or if that happens.

So let me get this straight... You drink, dance, like music, eat damn good food, cook, bake, AND you like lingerie? Oh, Miss Swan...Where have you been hiding? There has to be a flaw to you somewhere, but I swear to God, I'm not finding it. And trust me, I've studied your pictures enough to know. I know I can't see everywhere, but I'm determined to find something. ;) Maybe you suck at pillow fighting...

This Mike... He's a fool, Bella. There are no words for just how stupid he really is. In the big picture...the biggest loser in that whole fucked up situation is the kid that the other girl is having. You, beautiful, are way too good to deal with that type of bullshit and extremely lucky you found out when you did. He's what my mother would've called a "girl collector." Just because he can charm the socks (and probably all other items of clothing) off of a girl, he will. And he'll string them along. The first time I truly felt she was disappointed in me was when I'd secretly kept two girlfriends. Mind you, I was 14, but she figured that shit out pretty quick. She told me that it was mean, that not only was I hurting both girls, but I was hurting myself. I didn't believe her, but eventually, both girls found out and both dumped me. Yeah, I deserved that, but I never did it again because no girl would take me seriously for the rest of the school year. My mom was right.

That being said, I guess I need to tell you the whole story behind Tanya, don't I? You'll remember her best with the striped socks and a house on top of her, most likely clutching 55 pictures of Army wives and girlfriends. LOL

The Denali family was friends with my mom and dad, and they have a daughter – Tanya. Our fathers worked together at the same law firm. We're the same age, and I've known her my whole life. We didn't go to the same school, but they visited quite often. I guess our parents always saw us getting together – at least, that was what they wanted. I won't lie to you... Tanya is beautiful in her own right, but she was – and still is – spoiled and always got what she wanted. What she wanted was me. From the second puberty kicked in, it seemed, she started flirting. I didn't even consider her an option at all until right around the time I was a junior in high school. She was pretty, I was comfortable with her, and we had plenty in common. Plus, we were always around each other. It seemed an easy fit. It seemed so easy, in fact, that we just...stayed together.

At first, it was fine. We were each other's prom dates, and it sure as hell made our parents happy. But as senior year started, that's when things began to change. My mother was sick at this point, so my whole goal was to go to school nearby. Tanya had other plans. See, she'd been accepted into Harvard, and she had these grand plans that we'd go off to school together, move into a place, and I guess...live happily ever after, but all that changed when my mother died.

I will give her and her family this much credit...they were there for me through the whole thing. Tanya, on more than one occasion, helped me clean my wasted father up and put him in bed. It was when he killed himself and I had to stop all plans of college that she became mad at me. Oh, she said she'd stick through basic training, that she'd write, but as I told you...she didn't. When I received orders to ship out, I gave her the option of breaking up, but she didn't take it. Maybe that's why I was angry when she did what she did. I don't know.

What I do know is that I never rushed to my email for her. And she never agreed to Skype with me.

You have way too many celebrity crushes, Isabella. We're going to have to work on that. And a girl crush? Really? LOL Though your taste in women isn't bad. I liked Pearl Harbor, though my loyalty stayed with Ben Affleck in that movie. I felt bad that he was fighting in WWII when his own country hadn't even joined the fight, then was lost at sea, only to come back to find his best friend had taken his girl. Tsk, not sure I wouldn't have snapped.

However, Harrison Ford is the shit! Indiana Jones is bad ass, and don't get me started on Han Solo. LOL

I don't want to, but I have to go, beautiful. Is it crazy that Saturday can't come quickly enough? And that I'm nervous? As gorgeous as you would look, don't answer in that lingerie you spoke of...I don't think my heart could take it. ;) Next time, though...maybe. LOL

Write back soon...

Edward

P.S. I believe that "rare moment" you requested is attached. Jasper has very little shame and snapped it just as I opened my email from you. So, yeah, Bella...that smile is yours. Thank you.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: That "rare moment" pic (along with all other pics that have been exchanged between these two) can be found on my blog, which, by the way, I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to MedusaInNY for maintaining. Check our profile for a link. The pictures are all also on Jenny's site, with links to each pic in the profile. Take your pick, so to speak! ;)**

**Don't forget to vote for us on The Lemonade Stand! The link (take out the space before the "net") is: tehlemonadestand. net :) Be sure to do it today, because this is the last day for voting!**

**Okay, so tons of information came our way concerning how to help our boys overseas... See our profile for all the links. That way you don't have to worry about the spacing when FFn screws with them!**

**Leave some love...or hate for the Wicked Witch... Either one will do... ;) See you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb! ;)**


	13. Chapter 13: Bella

**A/N #1: Again, thank you so very very much for all the reviews. We are continually blown away by how much you all are enjoying these two! (And yes, we're both as much in love with Sarge as you are. ;) ) Please be sure to read the A/N at the end! Now, see what Bella thinks about Edward's rare moment picture! *grin***

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 6:04 P.M.  
Date Received: Tues, Apr 20, 2010 at 6:04 A.M.  
Subject: I hope this email finds you where you should be...in dreamland!

Edward! You are handsome and sexy when you are all serious like in the first picture, but smiling? Well, I mean, yeah...you're all right. ;) (If I said what I was really thinking – breathtaking – it would just go to your head, right? Gotta keep you in check somehow! *grin*) Seriously, though, you should smile more often.

I can't say I'm happy with the possible news about Kandahar, but I know that's just one of those things neither of us has control over. You promise to be as safe as you can, and I'll promise to keep thinking positive thoughts. Until then, we'll just keep talking and focus on other things, ok?

You know...you make me sound perfect, which I can assure you is far from the truth! LOL I am messy. (I mean, it's not like I have trash lying around, but there are stacks of old magazines on my coffee table, my bed rarely gets made, and more often than not, I'll leave my clothes on the floor when I change for bed, rather than putting them in the laundry basket.) I can be a little loud at inopportune moments, and I've been known to spoil the end of movies and books without realizing it. I also tend to be really scatterbrained and forgetful sometimes...which I have to combat using list after list after list – of course, keeping track of those lists can be hard sometimes! LOL I've found them in the strangest places, such as the freezer, the bathroom cabinet, etc.

I am also kind of a stickler for proper grammar, punctuation, and what not. Of course, I don't always follow the rules when emailing because its more like a conversation, so I write like I speak. I don't expect perfection from anyone but myself – although there are some things that drive me crazy insane: the wrong use of fever/temperature and itch/scratch, specifically. It drives me bat-shit crazy when someone says, "I have a temperature." What they really mean is that they have a fever... Or "Oh, itch my back, please!" No, no, no. Your back itches, so I'll scratch it, dammit. Oi! Seriously drives me crazy!

Another thing about me that can irritate the people around me (Rose and Alice have complained many times. *laugh*) is that when I find a song I like, I tend to put it on repeat and listen to it over and over while I'm working – whether it is cleaning house, grading papers, or writing. For example, my latest obsession is Ed Sheeran's "Fall." I've had it on loop for a week now. Every time I turn on my MP3 player, that's what I have playing.

And...yes, sadly, I suck at pillow fighting, although really...who cares about that when you're in the middle of one? Hmm?

Yes, I have a feeling Mike would be a "girl collector," which actually sounds rather...serial killer-ish, if you think about it! I knew right off that I was better without him, and I haven't looked back since. Luckily for me, I'd only wasted 6 months on the guy. You, though... God, I have to admit that I had to stop myself from Googling the name Tanya Denali so I could find her contact information and give her a piece of my mind. To be such a long-time family friend, let alone significant other, and treat you the way she did? Unacceptable. Just thinking about it now makes me want to haul ass to wherever the bitch lives now and beat the shit out of her. Does that make me a bad person? I'm not sure...but I'm also not sure I care! (Oh, did I mention that another of my flaws is that I kind of have a hot temper when something REALLY gets my goat? Yeah...)

Ahh, poor Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor. My loyalty flipped so many times in that movie, it's not even funny. My only consolation is that Danny and Evelyn thought Rafe was dead before they ever even looked at each other romantically. There were no hints of impropriety when he was "alive." But man...the scene where Danny took Evelyn up in his plane, and then they went back into the hanger after and finally made love? My heart gets all swoony just thinking about it. It's one of my favorite scenes ever in a movie. I could watch it over and over again and never tire.

Yes, I'd have to agree about Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones and Han Solo. He's such a good-looking guy, even being quite a bit older than I am, and I have always loved those two movie series!

I was thinking we should play 20 Questions... Have you ever played? Maybe not ask all of them at once ('cause that would just be overwhelming!), but maybe one or two per email? I'm finding that I want to know more and more about you the longer we chat. This would be a fun way of learning, I think. In return, if you want to answer your own question, too, that would be fun. If you're game...check out my first question!

Are you a morning person or night person?

I am kind of a combination, I suppose. I tend to love being up all night, when it's dark and cool and quiet. If I'm writing, I seem to be much more productive overnight. And yet...when I wake up in the morning, it doesn't take much for me to be wide awake and peppy. Yes, coffee is good in the morning, but whereas most people need it to function, I tend to do just fine without it most of the time. You?

All right, that's enough rambling from me. I have some chicken marinating that I need to stick in the oven. I'm making enough that I can take some with me to school tomorrow for not only my lunch, but also for Christopher. I watched him today as he absolutely scarfed down the pizza pocket provided for the school lunch. It disappeared within minutes, and he still looked hungry. So I want to make sure tomorrow that he has something nutritious to help fill him up. I also stopped at the store on the way home and got things like bread, peanut butter, fruit cups, etc, that I can put in a little bag for him to stick in his backpack and take home, since I'm not sure what he has to eat there. If this continues, I doubt I'll wait much longer to bring my suspicions up with the principal and the authorities.

Until next time...

Bella

P.S. Saturday can't come soon enough for me, either. Butterflies have taken up residence in my stomach and are intent on having millions of babies, apparently. ;)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ed Sheeran's "Fall" didn't come out until September 2011, but I found it just before writing this story, and it basically played on a loop the whole time. So...I included it as if it had come out earlier. YouTube it and take a listen. It's gorgeous.**

**Also, yes, in real life, if a teacher had concerns about a student like Bella has about Christopher, the teacher should already have reported it. But again, it's one of the things I'm taking a liberty with.**

**We really, truly appreciate all the votes for this story on The Lemonade Stand. It's a tight race to see if we'll be one of the Top 5... As of right now, there are a couple of hours left, and we're a few behind the number 5 spot. If you've voted, thank you so very much. If you haven't, if you could take a moment & vote (and spread the word so others go do it before it's too late! :) ), we would greatly appreciate it! Again, the link to that is: www. tehlemonadstand. net without the spaces. :)**

**Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying Bella as much as I loved writing her! Please review, and then go read Edward's response! :) – Jenny**


	14. Chapter 14: Edward

**A/N #1: I have to thank all of you who have rec'd, reviewed, spread the word, and even voted over at The Lemonade Stand. There's a few more hours left to vote. Coming Home has been nom'd for Fic of the Week. If you've already cast your vote, then thank you! :) If you haven't and you'd like to, please do so before time runs out. For those that are on Twitter and Facebook with us, every last comment, squeal, call for more...it makes us smile. So thank you...**

**I know you're falling hard for Sarge, so I'll let you get to it.**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 6:34 P.M.  
Date Received: Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 6:34 A.M.  
Subject: Easy there, tiger...

Bella,

Trust me when I tell you that while I appreciate your anger against Tanya, it's not necessary. I can fight my own battles with her, though really, I just want to forget all about it. It's done.

Perhaps I always knew that joining the Army would be the end for us, and yet, I can't seem to feel sad about any of it. Betrayed, yes, but heartbroken, no. You remember that feeling when you were a kid when you found out that Santa Claus wasn't real? Yeah, it's kind of like that. Damn, it was all a lie, but now everything makes sense. There were reasons that my presents were exactly what I told my parents, not the big fat guy in the red suit at the department store. Well...there were reasons that I wasn't all that upset that I couldn't attend Harvard with Tanya. Something was trying to tell me not to, things that had nothing to do with the death of my parents. Does that make sense? And if I feel that way now, it must mean that what I felt for her was...well, not much.

Does that make ME a bad person? If it does, then we'll just be bad together, hmm?

Those aren't flaws, Bella... Those are personality traits. So what if you're loud and exuberant about a movie or a book? It just means you're passionate. Everyone has a little clutter in their lives, so the magazines don't count. The music thing is completely understandable...I do the very same thing when I'm either writing or trying to learn a new song. And for the last several decades, the use of the English language has steadily declined, spiraling into something that doesn't even make sense. You are a teacher, so I'd worry if you didn't want things perfect. However, the unmade bed... That wouldn't fly in the Army, but when I'm home, I like my bed to be an open invitation, whether for sleep or for...other things.

Hmm, perhaps your flaws are hidden... I'm still on a mission to discover them.

20 questions? I guess I'll start by answering yours first. Morning or night person? Here, I have to be both because I have no choice. I have to be ready at a second's notice, should something happen. There are times when I'm up for days. Mainly, I'm a morning person because in basic training, they wake you up before the sun rises. And absolutely, I need coffee to even think about being a normal human being, or at least someone tolerable to be around. LOL

My question to you is this... What scares you the most? I've been here several months, and I have at least six more to go...and I'm afraid I won't see the end of it. In front of my men, I have to think on my feet, stay in control, and remain calm. At all times. I'm afraid of failing them, Bella, afraid of not getting out of here. I can't tell them that, or they'll lose their faith in me, because fear can cause people to make terrible mistakes. I'm telling you, because Kandahar is looking like a for-sure thing, and I hate the thought of losing another Carlos, of being unable to write to you, and getting my men in and out of there safely. I also hate that you worry for me, but then...I don't.

Another question... If you could have anything you wanted...right now...what would you want? For me, it would be a deep dish, Chicago pizza. Damn, I miss it. Thick and cheesy with everything but peppers. Follow that with cold beer, and I'd be in heaven. I think it's the simple shit I miss over here. I'm pretty sure that's not all I'd want...only the first thing that comes to mind. Trust me, there are so many things I haven't had since being shipped out, but most thoughts or needs can be ignored, especially when I'm surrounded by smelly men and women, all wearing the same damn thing. **laugh**

You think I'm sexy? LOL You haven't heard me talk yet. What if I sound like Andy Rooney, all nasally and shit? Or Larry the Cable Guy...you know, Tow Mater? Thank you for saying I'm all those things, Bella. Please, feel free to keep me "in check." I have a feeling you could do it, considering that sexy temper of yours. I'll try not to let the compliments go to my head, but believe me, they are right back at you. As beautiful as you are, I can imagine that your dance card is always filled. If it makes you feel any better, ever since your first letter, I find myself smiling more. It seems that the "rare moments" are becoming more frequent...at least that's what Jazz and Emmett tell me.

I guess you'll be up for work soon, so I hope you have a great day...

Edward

P.S. I can't say that a parachute hangar would be my favorite place to make love...movie glamor or not. Perhaps it's too public of a place for me, due to the fact that just about anyone could walk in. I prefer plenty of privacy and plenty of time...you know, without the possibility of interruption. ;)

**A/N #2: Andy Rooney... Heehee... XD I can't imagine... Anyway, so the flirting has kicked up another notch. :)**

**So we're getting really close to that Skype session. ;) I know you guys are about to DIE, but I promise it's worth the wait. Until then, what's your fear? Ugh, for me, it's clowns...wicked, evil creatures. **shudders** See you guys tomorrow... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	15. Chapter 15: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you so so much! You guys are truly amazing. Not only are your reviews fantabulous, but with your votes, we made the #5 spot in the FOTW at The Lemonade Stand! That means _Coming Home_ will be one of the featured stories in an upcoming week and will be reviewed, so hopefully we'll get even more new readers! We really can't tell you how much it means that you guys love the story so much. Your support means everything.**

**Saturday is coming up fast, and I know you're anxious for that...but please, enjoy the ride, because the next couple of chapters are worth it, we promise. Now, see what our little Bella has to tell Sarge today, huh?**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 7:12 A.M.  
Date Received: Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 7:12 P.M.  
Subject: Just a quick good morning!

Edward,

I'm off to the races – or school, you might call it – but wanted to email now because after your last email, I needed to give you a hug! I'll write more tonight, but for now...

*hug*

Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 8:04 P.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, Apr 22, 2010 at 8:04 A.M.  
Subject: Santa isn't real?

Oh, Edward... Why must you break my heart like that? Now my belief in the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy is on shaky ground, too! *sniffle* ;)

I totally get what you mean about it feeling right when you made different decisions and plans than was expected of you. If you've made your peace with it all, who am I to argue? Consider the subject closed. Although...being bad together sounds like it could be...mmm...a lot of fun...

*snort* Personality traits, my ass. So polite... LOL I do like where your mind went regarding the unmade bed, though. I've never thought of it that way. I've just always figured why make it if I'm just going to mess it up again later? Pure laziness on my part, I assure you.

Thank goodness for automatic coffee makers, hmm? I don't have one personally, but Rose and my dad both couldn't live without theirs. I'm assuming when you're home, you're like that, as well. And I suppose if I were tired out enough earlier in the evening, staying up most of the night wouldn't be quite as appealing. Been a damn long time since that was the case, though, unfortunately! LOL

You know... My dad used to tell me stories about being overseas, and that was always his biggest fear, as well – not being able to keep his men safe, not coming home to my mom and me. He said that was always the hardest thing for him, and my dad is the toughest guy I know.

You say fear can cause people to make mistakes. Maybe...if you let it paralyze you. From my perspective, a little fear is part of what makes for a good leader. If you always have that fear in the back of your mind, you will be more alert, as long as you can keep it in check. A little fear isn't a bad thing. Harness it, use it... Don't let it use you. If you _weren't_ scared every time you went into something like the situations in Kandahar, then I'd worry. It's a scary place with scary, unknown situations. If you weren't scared, you'd be stupid, and stupid gets you killed. You can't always protect everyone – it's war, and there are going to be casualties, as much as that sucks. So use that fear to help propel you into giving it a hundred and ten percent and pulling that much from your squad, too. You aren't alone over there, Edward. You say you can't tell your men that you're afraid? I call bullshit. Ok, it might not be the best thing for everyone to hear their leader say they're scared, but I guarantee they are just as scared. Talk to Jasper and Emmett, sweetie. I _know_ they are scared, too, and they certainly won't think any less of you for admitting it. Let them support you so you can support them.

You aren't alone anymore, Edward. Remember that.

As for my biggest fear? There's a couple, I suppose. The easiest answer to give (and one I'd give just any normal person that asked) would be spiders. Hate 'em. I know they have a purpose. I know most that I would normally come across aren't venomous or whatever. But I've always hated the suckers. I think my real fear of them, though, came into play when I was babysitting one weekend when I came home from college. I was watching this ten-year-old, and all of a sudden, these huge spiders came almost literally crawling out of the woodwork. They were coming out from under the couch and between the couch cushions, out from under the refrigerator...everywhere. It freaked me the fuck out. And they were really big. I swear, from leg to leg, they had to be like 3 inches or something. Of course, I couldn't let on how scared I was, because I didn't want to scare the little girl. So I very calmly hustled her out the door and drove her to my dad's house, where we waited out the rest of the time until her parents arrived. They called an exterminator, who said they did indeed have an infestation. No shit... Really? lol

Anyway, the answer I wouldn't give most people is that I probably fear losing Charlie, my dad, to the job. Like I mentioned before, he is the chief of police in Forks, and while there isn't THAT much crime there, that possibility is always in the back of my mind...that one day, I'll get a phone call and be told he was killed by some lunatic with a gun or whatever. He's happy and doing something he loves, though, so it's just something I have to live with.

On that same note, I now fear losing you, as well. Don't get me wrong... It's totally worth that risk and fear, but you asked and I wanted to be honest.

Oh, man... Anything I wanted? I'm almost (but not quite ;) ) embarrassed to admit it, but a night of balls-to-the-wall sex so hot that I can barely stand afterward. Like I mentioned earlier, it's been a while. I want someone who wants me so much, they barely let me inside before they have me pressed up against the door. They'll rip my clothes off as they attach their lips to my neck, before picking me up and... Well, you get the picture. *fans self*

Mmm, deep dish pizza. I'm glad you're not one of those thin crust lovers... That might have been a deal breaker. ;) Leave off black olives with the peppers, and I'm in. Not a fan of those bug looking vegetables.

Hell yes, I think you're sexy! Surely that's not news to you, that a woman finds you hot... lol I figure you probably get propositioned at least once a day when you're home. *grin* Thankfully, I'm learning quickly that behind the pretty face is a quick mind, sarcastic wit, and great sense of humor. As to your voice? I have a feeling I'll like it no matter what you sound like. My dance card? Eh. I get my fair share of attention, I suppose, but no one has caught my interest.

Until now...

Bella

P.S. You wouldn't happen to have any of your piano music recorded, would you? Ever since you mentioned that you play, it's something I've wanted to hear!

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: LOTS of stuff this chapter! Emotions are definitely starting to come into play, and Bella is beginning to share some private stuff with Edward, since he's opening up to her, as well.**

**Fears... Deb mentioned yesterday that her fear is clowns. For me, it's spiders & snakes not in glass enclosures...although I'm not nearly as bad as my mom! One time when I was 6yo and my brother was 4, we were on the front porch, and Mom came out the door to tell us to quit fighting or something, and when she opened the screen door, a snake that had climbed up to lay across the top fell down on her shoulders. My mom is deathly afraid of snakes (& worms... LOL), so she screamed, knocked it off to the ground, and then stepped back inside, leaving us out there with it! Oi! She swears she watched through the door to make sure it slithered away and left us alone... Now, mind you, we lived out in the country in Oklahoma, and there was a 99% chance that it was a harmless snake, but still!**

**But honestly, that spider story Bella told? A damn true story. I was home for the weekend during my first semester of college, so I was 18. My brother had a soccer tournament, so my parents were with him out of town. I was staying with my sister, who was 12 at the time...and she is worse about spiders than my mom is about snakes. I've never met anyone who is as scared as she is. Both of us remember that afternoon like it happened yesterday. I ended up taking her to my old babysitter's house, because I didn't really know anyone else I could leave her with, and then I went back to school. lol Those suckers were coming out from the couch cushions, from under the refrigerator, the pantry door in the kitchen...everywhere. Totally f'ed up! LOL**

**Ok, so that was way too much info about me. ;) Read on to hear from Sarge, who is much more interesting, I assure you! – Jen**


	16. Chapter 16: Edward

**A/N #1: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! To everyone that voted for _Coming Home_ over at The Lemonade Stand...just...yeah. :) For you guys to have that much faith this early in this story...well, you have no idea what that means to us. Really and truly. So big, huge, sloppy mooches. :)**

**There isn't much I can say about this next email...so on with it...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 5:46 A.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, Apr 22, 2010 at 5:46 P.M.  
Subject: Forget the fucking pizza!

Bella,

You are in so much trouble, Miss Swan! **grin** I hope to God I didn't ruin my computer's screen when I spit coffee all over it!

Ah, sweetheart. If you saw the spiders over here, you would want to be in a bubble. We have camel spiders, and some grow to nearly three feet in length. Makes your daddy longlegs over there a bit more appealing...

As much as I want to address everything you said, I've got to run. We're running a patrol today not far from here, which means I'll be back tonight. I just wanted to tell you not to worry and that I promise to be safe.

I'll write more later.

Edward

P.S. In case I forget later, my Skype name is similar to yours – the beginning of my email address: EAMasen.

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 9:31 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 9:31 A.M.  
Subject: Fears and unmade beds...

Hey Beautiful,

I'm sorry to say this won't be long, but I did want to tell you we made it back safely. However, I'm exhausted. I'll probably head to bed shortly, because I have a few things that I need to do tomorrow before we chat.

On that same note, I wanted to mention a few things before we talk tomorrow.

First of all, I need to thank you. I took your advice and talked to Jasper and Emmett...about how loaded down I feel, my fears, and well, about us. You were right. They understood. They also had been given their own orders by their wives, apparently. **snorts** They are to get me out of this desert safely and to Seattle. Failure is not an option. I always though Cupid was one little chubby guy in a diaper that wore a bow and arrow...not two grown men in desert camo with high powered rifles. LOL I do believe we're being set up...

Second thing... I've also been warned not to hurt you, and please trust me when I tell you that I have no intention whatsoever in doing that. I tried so very hard to keep it friendly at the beginning, but I find that I can't. And I don't know what that means. It's more than just your picture. I rarely look at it, because your mind is the most beautiful part of you. You need to know that. I also need you to know that I've told you more in the two months that we've been writing than I've ever told anyone. That includes Tanya, and I've known her my whole life.

On the other hand, you're fucking stunning. You say I'm breathtaking and sexy, but baby, I've got nothing on you! Yeah, sure...I've had my share of "propositions," to put it in your words...back home and here at camp. I never paid them much attention before, because I was in a relationship. Now? They're annoying. I see them, and I hear them, but I don't want them.

I've tried to be a gentleman through this thing, but I'm afraid when we talk tomorrow that everything I've started to feel will be plastered all over my face. Shit, we've never met and only just started to scratch the surface. We've got a long time to go before we meet in person, and so many things could go wrong.

I want to tell you I'll make it through this, that I'll be there for that burger when I'm done, but those aren't promises I can make. I want to tell you that balls to the wall sex sounds so fucking good, and not enough. How did the guy in Bull Durham put it? I want long, slow, deep kisses that last three days without coming up for air. There's nothing like peeling clothes off, starting at the front door and stopping when you can't take it anymore. And I want to know everything about you...anything you're willing to tell me, and some things I want to uncover myself.

But I can't make you any promises, Bella, and that bothers me so fucking much. You could have any man begging for your attention, one that will be able to be there for you. You deserve a future, and I can't promise you one. You needed to know these things before we Skype tomorrow, and I'm giving you an out, because you deserve one, but I'll be online tomorrow no matter what. Not even a war could stop that.

Edward

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Oh ho! Okay, it seems our handsome soldier is feeling...honorable? Perhaps...more? ;) The Skype date is looming closer, and I know you guys are about to claw through the computer screens to get to us, but just hang in there.**

**A big thanks again for all the love you guys are showing this fic. So leave some cookies, coffee, pics of Bella in blue... ;) And we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb :)**


	17. Chapter 17: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys so much. *sigh* You have no idea how much all the love means to us, truly. With this chapter, we move beyond emails. (Don't worry, we'll get back to them. ;) ) How much do you guys LOVE Sarge after his last email? Believe me, Bella is feeling similar. So go ahead... Find out what she's got on her mind...**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, April 23, 2010 8:16 P.M.**

"_I tried so very hard keep it friendly at the beginning, but I find that I can't...and I don't know what that means."_

"_I've tried to be a gentleman through this thing, but I'm afraid when we talk tomorrow that everything I've started to feel will be plastered all over my face."_

As I sat on the couch, staring blankly at the television, my mind kept going back over Edward's last email – and those two lines in particular. To say that his words had affected me would be an understatement. It was crazy – I knew it was! – but it seemed that he was feeling like I was...

That we had moved beyond friendship to...something _more_.

It was scary how fast my feelings had developed for a man I'd never met in person. From the very first letter, I had been intrigued. His sense of humor – comparing his bitch of an ex to the Wicked Witch of the West, for fuck's sake – had come shining through. I'd learned that he liked to read and that he enjoyed music as much as I did – being talented musically himself was an added bonus. He seemed to have personality in spades.

Then when he'd called me Cookie Thief and teased me about not all of his cookies making the trip, it had made me giggle...actually fucking giggle like a twelve-year-old girl.

Over the next two months, the attraction I felt for Edward as a person – even before seeing how gorgeous the man was physically – had continued to grow. Hearing his story about his parents and the man – Carlos Mendez – that he'd lost in Kandahar had showed me what a good man he was. A lesser man would not have taken care of his father the way he had when he was only eighteen. A lesser man would not have been so broken up about a man on his squad dying – like I'd told him, it was war and casualties happened, right? But no, Edward had thought of the young soldier's wife and unborn child. When he told me he'd written a letter to the man's wife, I'd been unable to hold back my tears, knowing how much he was beating himself up over the fact that a young man with his whole life ahead of him had died in his place. Only a good man would feel that way and be able to express that to someone like Edward had. In a lot of ways, he reminded me of Charlie, because my father was the most stand-up guy I knew.

We had similar tastes in movies, music, and we seemed to bring out the teasing and flirting from one another – and I liked that. It had been too long since I'd been able to enjoy the back and forth of conversation with a man that wasn't only in it to get me into his bed. Edward could keep up with me, keep me on my toes, and that was damn sexy and intriguing.

My thoughts turned back to his latest email. I was glad I had waited to open it until after school, because I wasn't sure I was going to be of any use the rest of the night...

"_But I can't make you any promises, Bella, and that bothers me so fucking much. You could have any man begging for your attention, one that will be able to be there for you. You deserve a future, and I can't promise you one. You needed to know these things before we Skype tomorrow, and I'm giving you an out, because you deserve one, but I'll be online tomorrow no matter what. Not even a war could stop that."_

He'd given me a lot to think about. As much of a connection as I was feeling with him and as smart, funny, and sexy as he was, did I want to continue to pursue...whatever this was...with him? I lived every day with the worry that some random criminal would kill Charlie. Could I live with the fact that for at least the next six months, Edward was smack dab in the middle of a war zone, and at any moment, he could be gone?

The thought of losing him like that had me drawing my knees to my chest, breathing deeply to keep from needing to run to the bathroom to throw up the lunch I'd had earlier in the day. If something happened to him, it would devastate me...and cutting off contact now would not stop that from happening.

A stunned expression crossed my face as I realized just what that meant.

I was already well on my way to falling completely, unconditionally, and irrevocably in love with Edward Masen.

Pulling the throw I'd tucked around me tighter, I curled onto my side on the couch, staring up at the ceiling as my mind tried to process everything I was feeling.

Two hours later, when I glanced at the clock, I decided it wasn't too late to call my girls. I needed advice, and as wives of soldiers, they were the perfect ones to ask. Picking up the phone, I dialed Alice's number first.

"Bella!" she called loudly in answer, making me pull the phone away from my ear and giggle. "What's up?"

"Hey, hold on. Let me conference Rose in."

At her hum of acknowledgment, I switched over to a new line and dialed Rosalie, who answered after a couple of rings.

"Sorry, was letting the dogs in," she said, breathing heavily. "Had to run back to the phone."

"No problem. Alice is here, too."

They greeted one another quickly, and then Rose said, "Okay, spill. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong...per se," I hastened to ensure them. "I just...need some advice."

Settling in further on the couch, I took a deep breath and then admitted the realization I had come to a couple of hours earlier.

"I think I'm in love with Edward."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: *covers ears to deafen the squealing* So little Bella's in love with Sarge, huh? It's good of her to catch up to the rest of us. ;)**

**Love you guys! Leave Bella some love and support. She's come to a huge revelation, and that's scary! *grin* – Jenny**


	18. Chapter 18: Edward

**A/N #1: EEP! She's in love with him! Guess we know what her answer is to his honorable intentions. Let's see how Sarge is coping...considering Skype and letting her go now was his brilliant plan... ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Saturday, April 24, 2010 10:58 P.M.**

Dropping my duffel onto my cot, I sat down hard with a sigh. I'd done everything I could think of to keep my mind occupied and make time move quickly. Nothing really worked. I'd been up since daybreak, gone for a run, checked in with my CO, cleaned my weapons, and washed every item of clothing I had, which were now folded away in my bag.

Glancing over at the clock on the wall, I sighed and groaned, fisting my hair – that shit was in desperate need of a buzz – in my hands with my elbows on my knees. Time was killing me. It either flew in long spurts, causing this would-be Skype conversation to loom closer, or it would crawl like a snail.

The problem was...I had no fucking idea what I wanted.

On the one hand, I desperately wanted Bella to show up online tonight. If she showed up, then that meant we were really doing this, that her amazing emails would continue, and that someone out there gave a shit – a beautiful and amazing someone.

In the short time that she'd been writing me, Bella had become so very important. It wasn't that she sent the most awesome care packages or baked the best cookies on the goddamned planet; it was her instant concern, her open heart, and her insistence that I wasn't alone. It was the soothing way that she made everything okay, how our sense of humors meshed like no one I'd ever known, and how all of it came so easily between us.

And now, I didn't feel alone. For the first time in a really long time, I had someone that truly cared what happened to me. Tanya – my own damn girlfriend – hadn't even cared where I was or what I was doing over here...and forget sending me anything. It never even crossed her mind.

On the other hand, it was that last thought that worried me the most and the reason I'd had to give Bella the option of quitting this whole thing. I didn't want her to waste her time on someone that could quite possibly not survive. She was young and so fucking beautiful and brilliant. She had everything going for her, and I could give her nothing in return. I was pretty sure that was what had finally caused my ex to give up, that feeling that life was passing her by, and for what? For someone that may never be able to come home?

Standing up and leaving my duffel right where it was, I opened my footlocker and grabbed my laptop. The barracks were sparse, most of the men down at the mess tent. It was movie night. The rest of the men were out on patrol. Walking into the CO's office, I set my computer up on the desk.

As always, I checked my email first, my heart plummeting when there was nothing new. I shook my head at just how much I needed Bella's words and her calm, but sharp humor to keep my head above water. Hell, I didn't even know how much I'd needed it until that first letter showed up unannounced.

Logging into Skype, I left the window open while I went in search of something she'd requested. Music. But not just any music...something I'd played.

Unable to help myself, I opened the picture of Bella – the one where she'd been about to go out with the girls. She was beautiful, in sparkly blue, her dark chocolate hair pulled away from her face. I smirked, rolling my eyes. If I was ever lucky enough to get out of here and meet this Mike guy, I was seriously going to check his mental faculties. He had to have been dropped on his head. Repeatedly. If not, then there was something seriously fucking wrong with the guy.

It scared me how quickly things had progressed between us. Two months? And we hadn't even met face to face. Closing the picture, I realized it really wasn't about how she looked. Though, a part of me wondered if we'd met on the street or in a bar...would we have connected just as fast? Did this whole situation seem strange simply because we'd met in an unorthodox way? Because two months in a face-to-face relationship would be completely different. And I guarantee that it wouldn't have been so damn open and honest.

I clicked through my music some more, doing my damnedest not to watch the clock. Just as I found the handful of songs that I wanted Bella to have, my computer alerted me. Incoming call. With my heart, balls, and stomach in my throat, I clicked open the window.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Boy, oh boy... He wants it all, right? Funnily enough, the Skype call on Saturday actually FELL on a Saturday. LOL Their first words face to face and across the globe will be spoken tomorrow. Promise.**

**I can't always answer reviews, though I read every single one, but I'm ALWAYS on FB (under Deb Drotuno Rotuno) and on Twitter (under Drotuno), so come see me. :) Smart phones are a genius invention. ;) Well, that and the fact that my boss doesn't care how many times my phone goes off as long as Sarge updates on time every day! LOL**

**Leave Sarge some love and hugs. I think he could use it right about now. He's damn nervous. LOL See you tomorrow... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	19. Chapter 19: Bella

**A/N #1: I know you guys are anxious to get to it, so I'll just say thank you again for all the love & support! You guys pushed us past 1000 reviews already, and we are truly amazed and grateful for each and every one of them. *mwah* Now, here's some more from Bella & the girls before the call. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, April 24, 2010 11:24 A.M.**

"Bella, sit still," Rose huffed as she wrapped another section of my hair around the big curling iron.

"Sorry," I mumbled before fisting my hands in my lap in an effort to stop moving.

Alice giggled from her spot on the bed. "I thought we beat all the nerves out of you earlier."

I shook my head, drawing another growl from Rose, and sighed. "Not really nervous. Just...excited, I think." _Although the butterflies in my stomach had tripled in the last hour alone._

I'd thought long and hard last night about today, but I'd woken up with a new determination and sense of how right this all was. The girls had helped me a lot. After I'd told them about falling in love with Edward, Rose had told Alice she'd pick her up within thirty minutes, and Alice had said she'd bring the wine. We had stayed up half the night talking about the positives and negatives of being involved with someone in the military and what that meant for me and Edward. I'd cried on their shoulders – I'd never expected to fall in love with someone who was halfway across the globe and putting his life on the line almost every minute of every day...

In the end, my girls had helped with not only their words, but their hearts.

~oOo~

"_Do we wish our husbands were home?" Rose asked, studying the glass of wine in her hand. "Hell yes." Looking up at me, she shrugged. "But I wouldn't trade Emmett for anything. Not even the life I always thought I wanted – a husband who was home every evening, one to go out with every weekend...and I always thought I'd have kids by now, but that isn't something we want to do until he retires from the military."_

"_It's hard, sweetie," Alice said, smiling sadly. "But every time I see Jasper's face and hear his voice on Skype, I'm complete again. Whenever I'm feeling it hardest or having a bad day, a smile or email from Jazzy helps make the day easier. Is it harder than having him here every day? Of course. You have to decide if it's worth that."_

"_Besides," Rose said with a waggle of her perfectly shaped brows. "The distance totally sucks, but the reunions are so worth it!"_

_We all laughed, but my head was still going a million miles a minute._

_Would it be hard? Yes, the hardest thing I'd ever done or would ever do. Could I handle it?_

_When I looked at Alice and Rose as they sat there talking about their husbands and the love they felt for them came shining through in every word, I knew. They had helped me realize that yes, it was dangerous and scary, but it was also totally worth it. I decided right then that if Edward was truly the right guy for me, I would find a way to deal with what he did for a living._

~oOo~

"Okay, well, here's what I think you should wear," Alice said, interrupting my thoughts.

She was holding up a pair of dark, skinny jeans and a new gray shirt. It was thin, with short sleeves and a black chevron sort of pattern on the front, making it pretty, but casual.

"Not something...sexier?" I asked uncertainly, pulling my lower lip between my teeth.

"Not this time," she said as she shook her head. "You want to look cute but not like you're trying too hard."

"Also," Rose added, "you want to look like yourself, not some trollop who wants nothing but to sex him up."

Alice and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Trollop?" we repeated with a giggle.

Rose waved her hand airily before setting the curling iron down and picking up the paddle brush. "Whatever. You know what I meant." As she brushed out my hair, she said, "This will leave plenty of waves and movement but take out all the curls."

Rather than answering verbally, I simply smiled before looking back down at my hands and picking at my newly painted nails.

"Stop it," Alice huffed, coming over and taking my hands in hers. "You'll ruin the paint job."

Twenty minutes later, I was dressed, my hair was done, and Alice had applied just a light amount of makeup to "make my eyes pop," according to her. She had gone light on blush and lipstick – opting for gloss that I could reapply right before calling Edward if I needed it, since I'd most likely chew it all off in my nervousness – and added dark brown shadow to the inside corners of my upper lids, accentuating the brown of my eyes. As I looked in the mirror, I had to admit that I looked great.

"Thanks, you guys," I said, pulling them both in for a hug. After a moment, I gently shoved them away and grinned. "Now get out of here. I've got things to do."

With a few more hugs and calls of "good luck!" they left the house.

I waited until they'd driven away to lock the door and then turned to my computer. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I saw that it was five minutes to noon.

Sitting down, I opened Skype and clicked on Contacts. Adding Edward's name took only a few seconds. Nervously, I clicked Video Call, watching as the program tried to connect me to the man who was half a world away and waiting for my call.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So the girls helped her realize with more certainty that all the hardships are worth it. ;)**

**Check out the pictures we have for Bella & Edward as they have their first Skype call! You can find them both on Deb's blog & on my site. Links to everything are in our profile.**

**Okay, keep reading. You know you want to! But please, leave me some love. Bella's nervous. She could use it! – Jenny**


	20. Chapter 20: Edward

**A/N #1: I know, I know... Shut the hell up, Deb. This is THE CALL. But to me, this was the turning point. This one conversation is simply...needed.**

**Fine. Go on. I'll see you at the bottom. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Sunday, April 25, 2010 12:01 A.M.**

I ran a hand through my hair with one hand as I clicked open the conversation with the other. I was so fucking nervous that I was afraid to look at the screen, because this changed everything. As soon as I saw her, the breath whooshed out of me. Really saw her – not a picture, not just words, but living, breathing, and fucking stunning.

My eyes took in natural beauty with just a hint of makeup, a soft grayish-blue shirt that made her skin look like silk, but it was the warm brown eyes that made me finally find my voice.

"Bella," I breathed, feeling like a fucking idiot because that was the only thing my brain could come up with.

A warm, sweet – and just as nervous, I noted – smile crawled up her face, causing a little wrinkle in her nose, and I was just...done. My own smile matched hers, and with one last tug on my hair, I set my elbow on the desk.

"Hey," she said shyly. "I _knew_ you wouldn't sound like Andy Rooney!" She giggled, and just like that, the nerves were gone – mine and hers. This was no different than our letters.

I laughed, shaking my head. "No, but I bet you wondered for a second, didn't you?"

"I did! But I really didn't care," she replied, shrugging a shoulder.

I winced a little, tilting my head at her, because that sounded to me like she was answering more than the question about my voice. It didn't help that the sounds of loud soldiers, rumbling vehicles, and aircraft echoed behind me. It was a blatant reminder of where I truly was. I was in a fucking war, halfway across the world from her.

"Christ, Bella..." I ran a hand nervously through my hair, deciding it was getting cut tomorrow. "Are you _sure_ about this?"

"Edward," she sighed, smiling so beautifully at me, and fuck, my name had never sounded so damn good. "I spent hours after I got your email yesterday thinking of what doing this call today would mean – what continuing...whatever this is between us would mean. I want you to know it isn't something I'm taking lightly. I know the future isn't a certainty while you're over there. I do know that there's no one I'd want to be with right now and nowhere I want to be more than here with you."

"Me, either, but..." I stopped and just looked at her.

This wasn't wrong. In fact, it felt fucking perfect. It was comfortable and honest and just...good.

"You're beautiful," I murmured with a sigh, unable to stop myself. "Your pictures don't do you justice."

The sweetest of pink crept up her face, adding the most glorious touch of color as she broke into another sweet laugh. "I was going to say the same thing."

Chuckling, I heard some of the guys come back from the mess tent and looked up past my computer before looking back to the screen. "Jasper and Emmett wanted me to tell you hello."

"Tell them hi back and that I miss them," she replied. "The girls were over this morning. I think you're right. I think we've totally been set up."

"Well, I see they didn't smother you with a pillow this time."

"No, I survived. I think my skills are improving," she answered with a giggle, biting at her bottom lip, and it might just have been the sexiest thing I'd ever seen.

I'd been mesmerized, just watching her – it had been so long since I'd seen an American civilian, much less a heartstoppingly beautiful one – so I had to shake my head a bit when she sing-songed, "Twenty questions, Edward..."

"Should I be scared?" I countered, sitting forward and resting my hand on my neck. Still, I couldn't help but smile.

"You're in a war, and _my questions_ might scare you?" She laughed, a pure, unapologetic, teasing laugh.

"Everything about this scares me, Bella." I chuckled, shaking my head and rolling my eyes. "Just ask your question, beautiful."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Sigh...yeah, I know. He's so sweet. The rest of the call is in Bella's POV, so I'll let you get to it.**

**Leave some love. It's sweeter than Sarge's lips after shoving two Snickerdoodles in his mouth at one time. LOL ;) Mooches, Deb. :)**


	21. Chapter 21: Bella

**A/N #1: Yes, you're seeing it right. You're getting extra today. Why? Because we love you guys! Well, that and we didn't really want to split up their first Skype call into two days! :) And to keep it even with a Bella & an Edward chapter each day, you'll get a fourth chapter today, too. Thank you so much for all the love you're continuing to show us and our Sarge & his Bella. It's amazing, and we're so grateful. Now, read on for more of the call!**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, April 24, 2010 12:05 P.M.**

"_Just ask your question, beautiful."_

My insides clenched at his teasing, sweet voice calling me beautiful. I didn't think it would ever be something I'd get tired of hearing.

Putting a pink-tipped finger to my pursed lips, I looked up and to the right, pretending to be deep in thought. In reality, I already knew exactly what I was going to ask him. At his chuckle – that deep, sexy tone sending lightning bolts from my ears to my nipples, making them harden into points under the thin T-shirt and simple white lace bra – I looked back at the screen to see him smirking at my playful teasing.

"Okay, okay. Keep your panties on, Masen," I huffed, shooting him a grin and wink to show I was teasing.

He mumbled something which sounded suspiciously like "What if I don't want to?" but when I raised an eyebrow, he just grinned.

I kicked back on the couch, bringing the laptop with me. "First kiss," I said once I was settled. I hoped to God it wasn't Tanya...

Edward barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "Random much, Bella?"

Shrugging, I giggled. "What can I say? I need to know if I should be jealous."

He actually rolled his eyes at that but grinned and said, "No need to be jealous. That would have been...Jane Reynolds in second grade. She cornered me on the playground. I don't remember much – only that it was wet and I acted grossed out to everyone around me, while inside, I was a bit embarrassed but happy that she seemed to like me."

My heart melted at the thought of the tough little boy hiding his feelings. "All right, I suppose you're right... No need to be jealous about that one," I teased.

"Turnabout's fair play, beautiful," he said, raising an eyebrow. "You ask, you answer. That's the rules, remember?"

I grinned, thinking back to middle school. "Riley Smith. We were in sixth grade and at our first school dance. He dared me to go around the bleachers and kiss him. I, of course, couldn't turn down a dare, so we waited until the teachers' backs were turned, and then I took his hand and we tiptoed around until we were in the shadows of the bleachers on the other side of the room. He was gentle and sweet, and there was nothing but lips involved. He didn't even use his hands to hold me close. Of course, then we got caught by one of the chaperones and earned a day of after-school detention, and we weren't allowed to come to the next dance, but that was okay. So totally worth it."

Edward's eyes had darkened slightly, and I giggled as they narrowed. _He was jealous!_

"Hmm," he murmured. "Riley Smith, you said?"

The giggle turned into a laugh, and I shook my head. "Silly man. Your turn, Edward."

He grinned sheepishly and ran a hand through his hair, tugging once. "I, uh, didn't think to have any questions ready..."

"Well," I started, drawing out the word, "I suppose I could ask a second one... But that means you owe me!"

This time, his smile took over his whole face, and his head fell back as he laughed. "Yeah, sweetheart, I'll owe you one."

Again with the clenching belly.

Taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart, I asked, "If you could have dinner with anyone – alive or dead, famous or not – who would it be?"

He smiled almost shyly, glancing down at his lap for a moment. With a hand through his hair, he finally lifted his eyes toward the screen. "You," he said simply, his mouth quirking up into a shy, but sexy smile. "You, Bella. I'd give anything to be on the other side of this screen right now."

I had no response to that. Zip, zero, zilch. My heart was beating furiously, my mouth was dry, and my breathing was heavy, but I felt so light that I was almost afraid I would float away.

I must have been quiet for too long because his eyebrows drew together and he sat forward, looking concerned. "Bella, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry if that's—"

"No!" I interrupted quickly, laughing at how loud my outburst had been. Softening my voice, I hurried to assure him. "You didn't make me uncomfortable, babe. Just speechless – and if you ask the guys, they'll tell you that's hard to do." I winked, bringing a relieved smile back to his face. "Oh, and Edward?"

"Hmm?" Relaxed again, he sat back in his chair, arms folded across his chest and eyebrow raised in question.

"That was the perfect answer. I don't think I could have put it any better than that," I said softly, my heart fluttering at the slow smile that formed on the sexy man on my laptop screen.

Our moment was broken by two loud, boisterous voices calling my name.

"Bella!" Jasper sounded happy as his face came into view over Edward's left shoulder.

Emmett popped up on the other side. "Bellsy! How's this guy treating you?" He patted Edward's shoulder. "Do we need to kick his ass yet?"

Rolling my eyes, I grinned. "Thanks, guys, but I think I'll be okay." Damn them for interrupting. I was glad to see my friends, but they were interrupting my Edward time!

"What's up, guys?" Edward asked, his eyes not leaving mine.

Jasper shot me a wink before looking down at Edward. "Sorry for interrupting, Sarge. Just wanted to let you know Lieutenant Stephens was looking for you. He said to come find him ASAP."

Edward frowned but nodded. "Thanks. I'll go see him now. Give me a minute?" His eyes were still focused on me.

Emmett and Jasper nodded, clapping his shoulder once more.

"See ya, Bella," Jasper said, smiling. "Give Alice a kiss for me."

"Oh, damn, tape that shit if you do," Emmett crowed and then grunted as Edward's elbow connected with his stomach at the same time as Jasper's fist made contact with his upper arm. "Okay, okay, sorry!" He laughed. "Later, Bella."

After a moment, it was back to just the two of us, and Edward sighed, running a hand over his face tiredly. "Sorry, beautiful. I need to go. He wouldn't have summoned me if it weren't important."

I nodded, smiling sadly. "I know, Edward. It's okay. Email when you can?"

His answer came immediately. "Of course." Then he held up a finger. "Hold that thought." He moved slightly off screen, and I heard a muffled noise, as if he were rattling things around in a drawer. When he sat back in his seat, he held up a pen and paper. "Can I call you sometime?" he asked, his voice back to that shy, quiet tone, a touch hesitant.

I rattled off my phone number in answer, watching as Edward scribbled down the numbers and then ripped the page off the pad of paper. He tossed the rest of the paper and the pen back somewhere behind the computer and then smiled.

"Thank you for coming on here," he said sweetly. "It means...more than you know to know you wanted this. Wanted me."

My lips curled upward, his demeanor and words tugging at my heartstrings. "There was never a choice, Edward," I answered softly.

He looked back over his shoulder for a second, frowning.

"Go," I told him. "You won't be able to relax until you talk to him and find out what he wanted. We'll talk again soon."

Edward nodded. "I'll email tomorrow, and I'll call when I can." With another soft smile, he said, "Have a good afternoon, beautiful."

"Good night, Edward," I whispered, swallowing around the lump in my throat, and then quickly clicked to hang up the call before my tears fell.

I was so overwhelmed with everything I was feeling – ecstatic that I'd gotten to see him and talk to him, overjoyed that the chemistry from our letters and emails was still there on a video call, and scared to death about why his lieutenant had been looking for him. I knew the threat of returning to Kandahar still loomed over his head, and that thought terrified me.

After a few minutes, I wiped the tears away, deciding they weren't helping any. I needed to get out of the house for a while, so maybe I'd go to the store and get the ingredients needed to make cookies to send to Edward.

But first...

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 1:03 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 1:03 A.M.  
Subject: I'm so glad we got to talk...

Hi, babe.

I know we just got off Skype a few minutes ago, but I wanted to write so you'd have an email whenever you got to the computer next.

I just wanted you to know that it was everything I could have hoped for and more, seeing you there on my screen, talking with you in real time. Maybe next time we're able to talk, we'll get more time. If not, just the brief conversations and glimpses of your gorgeous face (with that lickable jaw...) will do until I have you in front of me.

I'm off to get the stuff needed to make some cookies. Know anyone that might want them? I'm thinking my special trail mix cookies and maybe snickerdoodles this time?

Hugs and kisses,  
Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So...their first Skype call went well, don't you think? *grin* No, it wasn't nearly as long as any of you would have liked, we know, but we're trying to keep it at least somewhat realistic. ;) And we both can only imagine that calls & video chats rarely last a hugely long time in real life because of all the potential interruptions.**

**And finally...Edward's CO wants to talk to him? What do you bet that isn't a good thing Read on to find out! ;) – Jenny**


	22. Chapter 22: Edward

**A/N #1: Heehee...yeah, lickable, for real. XD Anyway, here's Sarge's response and the last chapter of the day. Some of you were worried about his feelings for Bella, since we know she's already fallen hard... Well... go on... ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 5:01 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 5:01 P.M.  
Subject: I can't even sleep...

Beautiful,

Lickable? Really? Don't tease, Bella. I'm surrounded by smelly men in the desert 24/7! That's not fair. I can't even begin to tell you where you look "lickable," so at least TRY to help me keep my sanity?

Dammit, I hate this shit. I don't know any other way to tell you this but to just say it. We've got to go back to Kandahar. They swear to me it's the last time my squad is going, but I never trust a thing they say. Ever. They're telling me two weeks, at most, but that means two whole fucking weeks without your words, your voice, your sweet face. There's no communication allowed there, and I know you'll worry. Hell, _I'm_ worried. The place is crazy, with buildings being bombed and random riots breaking out in the streets – and the targets are innocent civilians. They need my squad there to police those streets...at least until we get more reinforcements.

I will do _everything in my power_ to get us all back here safely, Bella. I promise you. I have something worth fighting for now. You're the light at the end of this shit. I never had it before, but now I do, and I swear I'll fucking fight for it. Before, I was just doing my job. Now? It's you, beautiful. It's your sweet face, your words..._those amazing cookies_...that gives me focus on what's really important.

You have NO IDEA what it meant to really talk to you only mere hours ago. I haven't slept a wink because I don't want to forget the sound of your laugh or the real color of your eyes. The fact that you want this, want to take the chance on me, and want to risk it all for whatever it is that we're doing... Bella, it means everything to me. You've given me something no one ever has, and that's hope. I didn't even realize that it was gone until your first letter showed up.

The only thing that bothers me is that I know you'll worry. I'm giving you the only thing I have to give you to hold onto, and that's the music you asked for. I'm attaching it to this email. One of the songs was something I composed for my mother; the rest, you'll recognize as classical piano pieces. And yeah, that's me playing. My mother started recording me at a young age in order to help me with my tempo, so recording myself had become a habit by the time I started composing. They're yours, along with any part of me you want.

We're pulling out of here soon, but I just couldn't go without one more check for your words, and then I couldn't leave without letting you know where we were going. The very minute we get back on base, I'm calling you, beautiful. I'll apologize in advance if it's late and a school night.

I printed your picture. I wanted you to know, and even though it's black and white and on regular printer paper, it's mine. It's going with me. I couldn't go without something. I'll miss you.

Hugs and kisses back,  
Edward

P.S. 20 questions, right? Okay, I've got one for you. Have you ever felt this way about someone before, Bella? Ever? Because the answer for me would be a resounding...No.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: EEP! You gotta love his honesty...if nothing else. Sigh...and there's the reality of their situation. (Yes, we're aware that in RL, he wouldn't be able to tell her where he was going and what he was up to, but in the land of Sarge...we allow it. :) LOL) So he'll be gone for a bit.**

**Wish our guy luck, and we'll see how Bella copes with his missing sexy self tomorrow. We hope you liked having 4 chapters today. We just couldn't see breaking up the call. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	23. Chapter 23: Bella

**A/N #1: We're so glad you guys loved the chapters yesterday! Just a few housecleaning notes: The characters are 25-26 years old. Bella met Alice when they were in high school, and then they met Rose, Emmett, & Jasper in college. None of that truly matters for the story, but a couple of people have asked, so... :) Now, let's see how Bella is dealing with Edward being gone to Kandahar again, huh?**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 11:14 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 11:14 A.M.  
Subject: My new favorite music

Edward,

I know you're already gone, but I still wanted to write and tell you thank you for the music. You are an incredibly talented musician, and I can't wait to hear more of your own compositions. Did you write the one for your mother before she passed away? If so, I'm sure it showed her just how loved she truly was. It is beautiful. If you wrote it in her memory, then know she's looking down at you from heaven and smiling because she feels that love even from above.

I'm glad you thought to print the picture and take it with you. I have an idea for something better, so maybe when you get back, you'll have a package waiting for you... I have yours set up as my screensaver now (yes, Rose and Alice thoroughly teased me about that and threatened to tell their husbands, so don't be surprised if you get razzed about it later on!) and have printed them out on my photo printer now, as well, so I can look at you anytime I want. It's not the same, I know, but at least it's something.

In answer to your question... No, babe, I've never felt like this about anyone. I've been in relationships before, but never once has just the thought of that person made my heart race and my breathing quicken. It's a new feeling and one I'm embracing with everything in me. I wanted you to know that...and I'm glad to hear it isn't just me.

I'll write again soon.

Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 7:32 P.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, Apr 29, 2010 at 7:32 A.M.  
Subject: My attempts at a homemade pasta

Oh, babe... LOL Apparently I've found a flaw. It came out sticky and clumpy and so bland. I thought I'd used enough salt, but apparently not. Will have to look at the recipe again and see what I did wrong!

*tosses it in the garbage and nukes a frozen dinner instead*

Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, May 01, 2010 at 2:33 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 01, 2010 at 2:33 P.M.  
Subject: I miss you...

Isn't is funny how you don't realize just how much you'd miss something until you don't have it? It's only been about a week since we last talked, but I feel like something is missing – like I have a hole in my chest. I know it will be healed when I get your phone call, but for now, it's like I'm missing a part of myself. I had no idea I could feel that way after only a few months of contact, but I do.

I hope you, Jasper, and Emmett are safe.

Xoxo,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
|Date Sent: Mon, May 03, 2010 at 7:15 A.M.  
Date Received: Mon, May 03, 2010 at 7:15 P.M.  
Subject: It's a Venti Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream day.

Hey, babe.

I feel better this morning than I did on Saturday. The girls and I got together for the weekend. They came over early Saturday morning and we spent time just chilling. They know exactly how I am feeling, so it was a lot of comfort to all of us.

Just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you before school this morning.

Yours,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Fri, May 07, 2010 at 2:05 P.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 08, 2010 at 2:05 A.M.  
Subject: Only a couple of days!

Whew, this waiting stuff is hard, isn't it? Two weeks has never gone by so slowly. Of course, it doesn't help that we're nearing the end of the school year and the kids are slowly driving me crazy! lol

I'm taking my cell phone with me everywhere—and I do mean everywhere...it's never out of range of my hearing or past where I can grab it without having to stretch to reach. Even being in the shower with it right outside on the shelf with my towel is too far.

Thanks, babe, for turning me into one of THOSE girls. ;)

*grins* Just kidding... I wouldn't have it any other way!

Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Tues, May 11, 2010 at 11:33 P.M.  
Date Received: Wed, May 12, 2010 at 11:33 A.M.  
Subject: Missing you

Two weeks have come and gone. Alice and Rose have both assured me that this shit happens all the time, but... I can't help but worry, ya know?

I know this may sound corny, but I long to hear your voice, telling me you're back safe and sound and that you missed me.

Must sleep, or I'll be useless at school tomorrow. Because I vowed to myself to be honest, I haven't gotten a lot of sleep the last couple of nights, so I'm running on fumes. But Edward? It's worth every moment of sleep I miss.

Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So we skipped ahead a bit. No need to make you guys wait two weeks for more Sarge! ;) Poor Bella is feeling it, isn't she? Hopefully Sarge will make a reappearance soon so she doesn't go too crazy. :)**

**Remember, if you are interested in sending care packages & what not, links are on our profile! Leave sad Bella some love and then run off to see if Sarge is back and okay! – Jenny**


	24. Chapter 24: Edward

**A/N #1: I know that some of you were worrying that we'd drag out the two weeks. Nah! ;) Bella got a little stressed out there for a bit, but let's see how Sarge is doing...**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 3:23 P.M.**

It had been seventeen days away from base camp...away from phones, email, music, and pictures of Bella, other than the worn out printed copy in my hand that I'd pulled out at least a million times. The base loomed closer as we rumbled over the broken-down road in the truck.

17 days. 408 hours. 24,480 minutes. 1,468,800 seconds. 1 gunshot wound. 2 minor burn victims. 0 casualties.

Well, no casualties on my own squad. There had been plenty every other fucking place – our side and their side, not to mention civilians that had gotten caught in the middle just trying to live their lives. A Special Forces unit had finally arrived, taking down the last of the bastards that had been hiding in a small apartment building. My squad had assisted in the demolition and extermination, so we were sent back to base once it was all over.

"Pretty girl," I heard next to me, and I'd almost completely forgotten that Lieutenant Stephens was sitting next to me.

"I think so," I said, unable to not grin, but I tucked the worn out thing safely back into my breast pocket. "She's probably worried sick."

"Nah, Sarge," Jasper added in response. "Ali and Rose will watch over her. Promise you, dude."

I nodded and gazed back out the tailgate, not bothering to argue, because I wasn't so sure. I kept thinking the entire time we were away that I'd come back and have an email waiting for me that ended this thing between Bella and me once and for all. That the fear, worry, and waiting was too much for her. Or even worse...that she'd found someone accessible.

The truck rumbled in through the gates, and we came to rest at the front of the camp. I started to stand, but Stephens stopped me. He looked tired, with gray hair at his temples that I'd never noticed before.

"Hold up, Sarge," he stated, letting the rest of the men file off the truck. When it was just the two of us, he said, "Outstanding job over there, son. Don't think it went unnoticed."

"Sir. Thank you, sir," I replied with a nod.

He smiled, shaking his head and slapping my back. "Go call your girl. Use the CO's office if you want."

I thanked him, most likely wearing the goofiest of smiles, but he said nothing as I doubled-timed it to the barracks. Sitting on my bed was a new box. While most men probably wanted a shower, fresh clothes, and sleep, the only thing I wanted was to check in with Bella.

I snatched open my footlocker, grabbed my laptop and the box off my cot, and stalked into the CO's office. Glancing up at the clock, I knew it was too early to call her, but I wanted to catch her before she got ready for work.

As my laptop powered up, I snatched open the box, because I just knew she'd sent cookies. Smiling at the different stuff she'd included, my single-minded goal was those cookies. I popped two snickerdoodles into my mouth as I pulled up my email. I was shocked to see not just one, but six emails from her, all from different dates throughout my time away. By the time I'd read them all – twice – I'd eaten several more cookies, but nothing could stop the ache in my chest. Picking up the phone, I dialed her number.

"Hullo?" a sleepy, but surprisingly arousing voice answered.

"Bella," I sighed, my head falling back to the wall behind me with a dull thud.

She gasped, suddenly wide awake. "Edward! You're okay. You're back," she stated, but they sounded like questions, too.

"I'm both, beautiful," I breathed with both a grin and a sigh, feeling complete for the first time in what seemed like forever. "I got your cookies," I mumbled around another one that I'd just shoved into my mouth.

Her giggle was sweet and happy. "There's more in there besides cookies, babe," she teased.

"I'm sure," I said with a chuckle, closing my eyes. "Tell me what I missed. I read your emails, but just...talk to me."

I just wanted to lose myself in her voice, and she was fucking perfect, allowing me to do exactly that. Starting from the minute we got off the computer a little over two weeks ago, she told me everything. From botched pasta recipes, to day-to-day stories about her students, to her missing hearing from me. Every word was like heaven.

"God, I missed you," she whispered, and I heard emotion seep into her tone. "I can't believe how much..."

"I missed you, too, beautiful," I whispered back, shaking my head at just how true those words were. "Is this too much, Bella? Can you really handle this? Me?"

"Oh, I think I can handle you, Masen," she promised, and I chuckled at her sexy teasing.

"I can't wait to see you try." I snickered, finally looking through the rest of the box of stuff – puzzles, a deck of cards, sunglasses. When I came across an envelope filled with photos of her, my breathing stopped completely. "Jesus, Bella..."

Her responding laugh was delightfully evil. "Just now, babe? You just now found the pictures?"

"Unbelievable," I groaned in pure want of her, because she'd sent a handful of sexy-as-hell shots of her in some sort of black, lacy thing. "You have to be the sexiest thing I've ever seen. I can't wait to get my hands on you..."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: **giggles** Yeah, Sarge is sweet, but there's definitely more to him than that. ;) Those of you that have read my fics before should've seen that coming. LOL **

**Don't forget...all pics that are exchanged show up in various places. Just check Sarge's Girls profile for links. :)**

**Happy Father's Day to any dads of any type who might be reading us...and if you're not a dad, tell the dad in your life how much he means to you today!**

**Okay, leave some love...or cookies...AGAIN... LOL He's shameless with his care packages, I swear. And we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	25. Chapter 25: Bella

**A/N #1: First, saying thank you for the love and support you're showing this fic is just not good enough. We truly love and appreciate everything you guys are saying & doing for this story. We had a good number of people mention lingerie in response to Bella's pictures, but if you didn't go look at them in our profile, know it wasn't really lingerie. They were basically headshots (with her upper chest, shoulders & arms showing) while she wore a sexy, black, lacy top thing, her hair all sexy & beautiful. Please, take a look at the profile to see them. ;) Little bit of a tease here, so let's get to it! ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 4:13 A.M.**

Edward's sexy voice sent shivers of want down my spine. I pushed the sheet to my waist and scooted up on the bed, leaning back against the pillows and headboard. I kept the lights off, so the room was only illuminated by the moon as it shone through the window.

My breathing had picked up, so my words came out a little shaky and breathy as I said, "Really, Sergeant Masen? Just what would you do if you could touch me right now?" It was meant to be teasing, but it came out much more sensual, which Edward clearly picked up on.

"Oh, beautiful..." he murmured slowly with a groan. "You have no idea how much I want to get my hands on that gorgeous head of hair." His voice was as smooth as silk, like a warm caress to my ears. "Those curls are just begging for my fingers to slide through them. I just know it would be soft, and to feel it would be...mmm, so nice."

I squeezed my legs together, his words doing crazy things to the juncture of my thighs. "Wh-What else?" I asked, feeling my breath catch as he made a soft noise that sounded like appreciation.

"Your skin looks so perfect in those pictures, Isabella." This time, it came out like a purr, and it was no less sweet to my ears. "I want to touch you everywhere – drag my calloused fingers so lightly up your arms and across your shoulders just to feel it under my fingertips. I'd keep touching you, up your legs and across your stomach, to see if every part of you is as smooth as I think it is."

My free hand slid down to touch my stomach, which was bared because the shirt I'd been sleeping in had ridden up when I'd rolled over to answer the phone. As my nails lightly dragged across the skin just under my navel, I must have made a noise, because Edward groaned again.

"Beautiful, what are you doing?" he asked smoothly. "Are you touching your skin? Are you seeing how soft your stomach is? Tell me, Isabella..."

I nearly whimpered. "Yes," I admitted, not bothering to stop moving my hand lightly over my stomach.

"Oh, baby," he whispered, a world of want in those two little words. "I wish that was me... You know I wouldn't stop there, right?"

"Mmhmm," I agreed, kicking the sheet off and spreading my legs, letting the cool air caress me through my panties. God, I wanted to touch myself, but there was no way...

"Beautiful, I wanted to ask you about something you mentioned on one of the emails. If you don't want to answer, you don't have to, but it's something I've been curious about since reading it..." His voice was still soft, still smooth, but decidedly less sensual than it had been, pulling me slightly out of the haze I'd found myself in.

"Okay," I said questioningly. "Go ahead."

"Remember when I asked about the one thing you wanted right then? Do you remember what your answer was?"

Slightly embarrassed, I nodded silently, before remembering he couldn't see me. "Yes?" I answered, although it came out as more of a question than anything. Then I realized why he was asking. I'd said if I could have anything, I would want balls-to-the-wall sex... "You want to know if Mike and I had ever had sex?"

He huffed a laugh. "Ahh...no. I'm more interested in knowing how long it's been since someone cared enough to make sure you were...happy and satisfied." The sensual caress was back, thank God. "When is the last time you had an orgasm so powerful that it felt like your entire body was a live wire, beautiful? If I were there..."

I finally did actually whimper, my hand sliding down so my fingers slipped into the top of my panties. Fuck, I wanted to touch myself, but even more, I wanted Edward to touch me. I was just about to answer him, which I heard a voice mumble something in the background, and then Edward was back, sighing.

"Sorry, Bella. This is so not the ideal place for that conversation, even as damn much as I wanted to continue."

Chuckling softly, I said, "That's all right, babe. Nothing says I can't put my imagination to use after we hang up..." I was teasing him, and I knew it.

"You mean you're going to..." He groaned again. "Fuck, Isabella..."

"That's the idea, Sarge," I said with a giggle.

"I'd better go, sweetheart, before I get into trouble here. I have a...situation...that I might have to take care of myself if I'm alone in the shower," Edward admitted.

"Oh, God," I moaned, feeling my panties get even more wet at the thought of Edward touching himself in the shower. "If you do...I expect to be told about it," I told him, only half-teasing.

"Mmm, same goes for you, beautiful. If – when – you touch yourself, it will be _my_ hands on your sexy little body, you got me?" he asked, all teasing gone as the husky tone made my nipples pucker.

"Okay," I said, my voice squeaking embarrassingly.

Another noise came from across the line, and he sighed. "I'd better go. I want to see if I can get in the shower before anyone else comes in from out in the field for the night. Thank you for your emails and for everything in the box, sweetheart. That was the perfect surprise to come back to."

I smiled, glad that he had enjoyed everything. "Have a good night, babe. We'll talk again soon, yeah?"

"As soon as I'm able, I swear it," he said firmly.

We were quiet a minute, neither of us wanting to hang up, before I finally said, "Bye, Sarge."

"Good night, beautiful..."

There was a click, and after a moment, the beeping that let me know he'd hung up.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Damn, they were interrupted once again! I promise, their time IS coming. ;) In fact, you get a little bit of a treat next chapter... *grin***

**But first, please leave Bella some love! Poor thing was left high and dry. Also, if you have heard about Coming Home from a rec in someone else's story, please let us know! We'd love to hear about how you found us!**

**Now, on to Sarge... – Jenny**


	26. Chapter 26: Edward

**A/N #1: I think you guys truly loved Sarge's reaction to the pictures Bella sent him. The fact that she was still on the phone when he first saw them was a bonus! LOL So let's see how he umm..._handles_ the situation. Citrusy warning, for sure... ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 5:42 P.M.**

Groaning, my head fell back to the wall again with a harder thud. That beautiful girl was going to be the death of me...and the reason I wasn't going to be able to walk normally to the showers.

Packing my stuff up, I willed my body to calm down. I really did need a shower, but I wasn't so sure this went beyond a cleanliness issue. I'd never be able to think straight after having that conversation with Bella. Her pictures, her sweet voice, her heavy breathing, they were in my head making me so hard for her.

I traded out my laptop and the stuff from Bella's care package for my latrine bag, fresh clothes, and a towel, locking my footlocker back up. If I timed this shit right, most of the men that came in with me would be down at the mess tent, while the squads out on patrol weren't due in for about another hour.

Taking the far back stall, I stripped, shaking my head at the erection that hadn't subsided. As hot water hit the top of my head and cascaded down my body, Bella's words came back to haunt me.

"_Really, Sergeant Masen? Just what would you do if you could touch me right now?"_

I huffed a laughed, my forehead thumping to the shower wall. She had no idea. None. The most impure thoughts flashed through my mind – thoughts of skin and lips, of that angelic laugh and smile, of hearing again that sweet moan I was pretty sure she hadn't wanted me to hear. But I had, and it had traveled over wires and several large bodies of water, over deserts and jungles, only to drive straight to my cock, making it harder than I ever remembered it being.

I hissed when my hand wrapped around my dick, my eyes squeezing closed as my hand worked up and down my shaft with a firm grip. It didn't take much to dredge up the image of her, the sounds she made, or the sight of her teeth nipping at her own bottom lip. I absolutely had to see that again, and I wanted it to be me that made her do it, not a moment of shyness, but that moment just before she fell over the edge, my name spilling from her lips.

My entire soul ached for me to touch her, for her to touch me – fingers in hair, lips and teeth nipping at skin, pushing, pulling, sweaty skin and lazy smiles. God, I wanted it all with that girl, but more than anything, I just wanted her lips on mine.

"Fuck!" I growled through gritted teeth, my seed leaving me in spurts at mach speed and swirling down the drain. "Christ," I panted, barely able to see straight as I braced my hand on the shower wall with one hand, my now-twitching, yet sated cock still in the other.

It hadn't been that long since I'd taken care of myself that way. Most of the time, it was in order to help sleep come easier, but damn, it had never been that strong, so fucking powerful that my legs were unsteady. I wasn't even sure I'd ever come with a woman that hard, but my brain wasn't exactly working right at the moment. But it was my still pounding heart that told me everything.

I was completely in love with Isabella Swan, and there wasn't anything I could do about it. Not even the war around me was stopping it.

Finishing up in the shower, I redressed in clean clothes, opting to have cookies for dinner instead of making my way to the mess tent. Sitting down on my cot, I opened my laptop once more because there were a few questions that needed answering.

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Wed, May 12, 2010 at 7:03 P.M.  
Date Received: Wed, May 12, 2010 at 7:03 A.M.  
Subject: Cookies for dinner beat the mess tent any day!

My Beautiful Bella,

I was just about to turn in for the night, but I just wanted to leave you something for either your lunch break or for when you come home tonight.

I'm glad you liked the music. To answer your question... I wrote that song before my mother died. She begged to hear me play all the time, and even more when she didn't feel well. I wrote that to relax her, to help her sleep. Sometimes, it helped, but not always. Sometimes, she'd just listen. She'd be happy to know that you liked it. She was always trying to show me off.

20 Questions, Miss Swan... What's with the threadbare Army shirt, beautiful? Did you not think we had some of those around here? I can assure you, we do. Plenty. So spill, sweetheart. You never send me anything without a story behind it.

Before I sign off, I just wanted to thank you again for the phone call. Your voice was like medicine to a wound. Just hearing you made everything so much better.

Yours always,  
Edward

P.S. You didn't get a chance to answer my question, Isabella. When was the last time that someone truly took care of you? The last time that an orgasm ripped through you like an electrical charge, leaving your body sated and blissful? For me, it would be tonight...and I thought of you.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: They'll combust before they meet face to face, right? ;) LOL A few of you mentioned that feeling of first being in love, that sharp, tingly feeling that seems to expand out from your chest. Yes! That's this exactly!**

**I need to thank all that have reviewed so far. From the fantastic peeps over at The Lemonade Stand...to my "Coffee Tawlk" girls on Twitter...to all that have their theories on FB...to everyone else in between. The support and love you're showing this fic is absolutely amazing! Thank you!**

**Leave some love...if only because I gave you Sarge in the shower! ;) LOL See you guys tomorrow... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	27. Chapter 27: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys for all the love you're still showing us. We couldn't be more excited or thrilled about each and every word. Welcome to the new readers we're still getting almost daily. We hope you enjoy the story!**

**Just one note before I turn you loose. ;) I know you have questions (How big is Little Sarge? Do the boys get leave? Are we skipping ahead in time? Those have been a few that have been mentioned a few times.), but all we can say for now is please, just keep reading. ;) Those WILL get answered. There's a TON of story left to go! Now, slight citrus warning for this chapter, so go...enjoy! See you at the bottom.**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Wednesday, May 12, 2010 5:39 A.M.**

Going back to sleep after that phone call just _was not_ possible. My entire body felt on edge, like with one spark, I would go up in flames. I shifted on the bed, and that small movement alone made my still-aroused body throb.

Remembering Edward's voice made me hotter still. There was nothing sexier than his sharp wit and wicked sense of humor, but he was so good-looking, and that voice... Deadly.

Just thinking about his voice telling me how he wanted to touch me had my fingers sliding into my panties, finding me slick and swollen with arousal. I didn't need to pull out the toy I kept in my bedside table drawer. All it took was playing those deadly words over and over in my head as I slid two fingers inside myself.

"_I want to touch you everywhere – drag my calloused fingers so lightly up your arms and across your shoulders just to feel it under my fingertips. I'd keep touching you, up your legs and across your stomach, to see if every part of you is as smooth as I think it is."_

With a press to my clit with my thumb, Edward's name rolled off my tongue as I came – hard.

It was many long minutes after that before I was able to force myself out of bed and into the shower, where, with the help of the detachable shower head, Edward's name echoed off the shower walls once more.

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, May 12, 2010 at 5:03 P.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 5:03 A.M.  
Subject: Cookies for dinner? Naughty boy!

Speaking of naughty... God, Edward... Knowing that you went from talking with me to thinking of me when you came just...does something to me. Damn, babe, I'm glad I didn't read this during my lunch break! I wouldn't have been able to concentrate at all this afternoon.

That thought is so sexy. To imagine you with your hand wrapped around yourself, stroking... How do you like it? Would you want my hand squeezing a little tight, giving a little twist around the head when I reached the top? Or do you want it nice and gentle, just bare touches of my skin to yours? I have to wonder if my hand would reach comfortably around you. I have small fingers, after all. I might have to use both hands to make you feel good...unlike when I used just one on myself this morning...

Twice.

It's very handy having a detachable shower head. ;)

As for when the last time someone other than myself took care of me in that respect? Way too long. Mike was...okay. Certainly nothing to write home about. LOL He was more concerned about getting his than giving, so I was left unsatisfied more often than not. Honestly, I'm not sure why I was ever with him, especially now, when I know how a man can turn me on with just a few words. Before Mike, there was a guy in college, but that didn't last long at all. He had nothing going on upstairs and ended up being not nearly as funny as I first thought he was.

Ahh, the Army shirt. That was my dad's from years and years ago. I filched it from him back in high school for some reason, and it's been the shirt I wear to sleep in ever since. That was really the closest thing to myself I could think to give you without packing myself up in the box. Just realize that I'm not _giving_ it to you... I want you to keep it close and keep it safe, and then you can deliver it back to me personally when I meet you face to face. Deal?

My turn for 20 Questions, babe. I've got two this time...

What is your biggest turn-on in the opposite sex? For me, it's a sense of humor and gorgeous eyes. Guess who has both? ;)

Also, what was your favorite toy growing up? Cabbage Patch Kids until I was about 10, when I got my first Beanie Babies. Don't judge. :P

I'm glad talking this morning helped. Anything I can do, you have to know I'll do everything in my power to do it. If all you need is a soothing voice, that's certainly something I can handle. After going that long without seeing your words, hearing your voice was just...better than I can explain.

Missing you every moment,  
Bella

P.S. Just so you know... Your name was on my lips this morning, both in bed and in the shower. Keep talking to me like you have been, and it definitely won't be the last...

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Whew! Their Skype chat and phone call really amped things up, didn't they? I love that Bella isn't shy _at all_ in this one. LOL What do you think Edward's reaction will be? ;) Leave us some love & let us know your guess. *grin* – Jenny**


	28. Chapter 28: Edward

**A/N #1: The floodgates on innuendo, UST, and flirting have now been completely blown open. LOL You guys didn't seem to mind, so let's check in with Sarge...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 5:34 P.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 5:34 A.M.  
Subject: I'm looking for a box you'd fit in...

Isabella...

It is my honor to have your father's shirt. I promise to take care of it, but knowing you sleep in it... Well, thank you. Perhaps we should trade until I can return your favorite pajamas. Let me see what I can find, beautiful.

Do you see your dad often? Have you told him about us? He's not going to shoot me when he meets me, is he?

We're already back to routine around here. My squad is taking the morning shift these days, so I usually don't get to relax until the end of the day. I'm grateful to be back on base, because despite how time seems to drag, at least I have opportunities to keep my mind occupied. Before my shift, I can work out or run, and then after dinner, I get you! It's not like we're completely bored...it's not jail, though it feels that way occasionally. Sometimes, Jazz and Em will break out a football and start tossing it around. Guys will join in, and eventually, we're tackling each other into the dirt. LOL Every now and then, a poker tournament will break out in the mess tent. They play for everything from money to crazy dares. Jasper had Emmett streak the base after losing about four months ago. LOL They both got into trouble, had to wash dishes for two weeks.

What is my biggest turn-on in the opposite sex? I like a sharp mind behind a pretty face. Intelligence is just as attractive as a beautiful body or an attractive smile. I never understood the girls that played dumb, that acted like vapid mental vacancies. Physically, I love a pretty smile and thick, healthy hair... Your turn, Miss Swan... Guess who has all three?

Would it shock you to know that my favorite toys as a kid were G.I. Joe action figures? LOL And then there was my piano. Video games, bikes, action figures...they all came and went, but my piano was always a for sure thing. In fact, I still have it. It's in storage in Chicago. Of all the things I got rid of out of my parents' home, that was the one thing I couldn't bear to part with, because it was my mother's first.

Isabella, I'd be willing to bet that no matter HOW you touched me, it would be perfect. I'm not sure I'd care, as long as we were actually touching. The miles between us are starting to get to me, Bella. As much as I'm trying my best to get through the next day and the next, I ache to touch you in person, for you to touch me. Perhaps it's just the need to know this is real, that what I'm feeling for you is something tangible, because believe me, I love that it was me that turned you on, that it was me that you thought of as you made yourself feel good, but I'd have given anything to have been the one to have truly taken care of you.

Your ex is an idiot! There's nothing as stunning or more fulfilling as making a beautiful woman lose her mind...multiple times, especially if you care about said woman. Perhaps that's why the little shit is a cheater. He's constantly searching for something that he'll never have, because he's a selfish lover. He'll never have that connection with the women he's with. Mike is losing out, because I've never heard anything as sexy as the sounds you made over the phone, baby. One day, I'd love to hear my name and not just imagine what it sounded like in your empty shower.

20 Questions, Bell... School is almost over for you. So what do you do during the summertime? Do you teach summer school? Visit your parents?

It's time for dinner, sweetheart. I'll call you as soon as I can.

Edward

P.S. Are you asking how big I am, sweetheart? **grin** Do you really want to know? And are you expecting the truth or some young man's bragging claims? LOL There's a part of me that feels wrong with telling you, or even talking about this, but then, I'm no better, beautiful, because I'm wondering about you. Did you imagine it was my fingers inside of you when you called out my name? I would like to think so. If you're so curious, I will tell you this... Use two hands, Bella. ;)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: O_o Shameless, he is.**

**I know you guys have tons of questions, but most of them will get answered in time. I promise. Including Mr. Bragging Claims here. ;) LOL Just hang in there, because things have a way of...hmm...changing. Okay?**

**Big hugs to all that are new, all that have rec'd and reviewed, and all that chat me up on FB and Twitter. Leave some love. It's not as good as knowing how...ahem..._BIG_ Sarge is, but it will get us closer to the answer. LOL XD See you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	29. Chapter 29: Bella

**A/N #1:  
Drotuno: Hey, Jen... I think we killed our readers. LOL  
JenRar: No, YOU killed our readers. Two hands, really? *thud*  
Drotuno: Okay... Technically, SARGE did, but... Yeah, semantics. Damn...two hands... O.o Wait, what were we talking about? Oh, dead readers. It's surprising the level of pervs we have.  
JenRar: Pfft, they're A) reading Twilight fanfics...and B) reading YOUR Twilight fanfic. It isn't THAT surprising. *grin*  
Drotuno: huh... True. You know, I read this one the other day... Where he puts his... Ummm, never mind. Perhaps, we should let them see if Bella reacts the same twisted way that they did. LOL  
JenRar: I'm not sure BELLA'S still alive...I tried poking at her, and she just sat there...blinking. I think I even saw drool. So...Deb... Deb? *waves hand in front of her face* Damn, there goes another one.**

**You all crack us up. Seriously. Thanks once again for all the love. It really is incredible. :)**

**Ok, this chapter has a slight warning for the topic of child abuse. Nothing graphic, but Bella has some news for Edward about Christopher, and it isn't pleasant. So if you're worried, please shoot us a PM and we'll be glad to answer any questions you have. Now, let's see if Bella's still alive after that last email. ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 11:34 A.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 11:34 P.M.  
Subject: I've got a box...

Unfortunately, shipping myself would be just so gosh darn expensive! *laugh* So I think that'll have to wait until you're back stateside, when I can just buy a plane ticket or rent a car. Or...ya know...walk. Whatever damn thing it takes to get me to you!

I'm on my lunch break, so this is short, but I wanted to hopefully catch you before you went to sleep. :)

Sweet dreams, babe.

Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 5:18 P.M.  
Date: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 5:18 A.M.  
Subject: My poor heart is just breaking

Oh, Edward! I just got home and sat right down at the computer. Remember Christopher? I've been keeping an eye on him, taking him stuff for lunch more often than not. I hadn't seen any more bruises before today (although now, I don't doubt that they were there).

Today, I was outside on the playground with the kids at recess. A fifth grader was going in after his gym class and shoved him, making Christopher fall down and scrape himself up when his T-shirt rode up. Before he could hide it, I was able to see that he had bruises all over his back (some old, some obviously fresh). I had another teacher take over for me while I took him to the nurse to put antiseptic on his scraped hands, and while he was in there, I talked to the principal. She called the police and the social worker (who has been to the school way too many times to be good...), and they were there within the hour. Christopher wouldn't let me leave his side while he talked to them, claiming he felt safe with me there.

Turns out his father is a drinker and abuses not only Christopher, but his mother, as well. DCFS removed him from the home this afternoon, and police arrested the bastard, too. Luckily, they were able to place Christopher in a great foster home (I've dealt with these foster parents before, and they genuinely seem to care for the kids they take in) that is close, so he'll be able to continue going to school here.

It just about damn near broke my heart to see the bruises and hear the stories. All I need right now is a hug. Alice and Rose are bringing dinner, and I think I'm going to ask them to go to Forks with me this weekend. I need my daddy...to be around a father who is tough as nails but loves his child and would fight the devil if he had to do it to protect her...who would never think of raising his hand to her.

And yes...I plan to tell him all about you...about us...this weekend, if that's ok with you. :) I see him once every couple of months usually, although we talk once a week. I haven't said anything to him before now because it was still so new. But things are...really starting to feel real and so right, I can't – no, I don't want to put it off any more.

God, it's making me feel so much better just to talk to you, even if it is via email. Knowing you'll read this and be sending me hugs from Afghanistan is really comforting, babe.

Now...enough with the heavy stuff!

Mmm, I think a trade is a fantastic idea... Whatever you want to send would be loved and appreciated, I hope you know that. Although, thinking of sleeping in your shirt... Hell yes...

Oh damn! I don't know if Alice & Rose know about Jasper & Emmett getting in trouble for the streaking. LOL I wonder what they'd give me for not telling...

It sounds like we're on the same page in terms of turn-ons. Good to know. ;)

O.M.G! No... G.I. Joe, really? *snicker* So not a surprise. And I'd have bet everything I owned on the piano...although knowing you kept it after your parents died is so damn sweet. Makes me all swoony to think of you as a little boy, sitting beside your mom as she helps you learn.

Hmm, summer is definitely coming up quick. That's both a blessing and not... I love seeing the kids every day, but man, I am ready for a break. Keeping up with a classroom full of nine-year-olds five days a week is exhausting! We get out of school the 27th of May, although I have to go back on the 28th to clear out my room for the summer. The last couple of summers, I've taken some classes at U Dub. Nothing heavy, but some advanced writing courses and stuff like that. I do visit my dad for a couple of weeks, and the girls and I usually go on vacation, stopping in Florida to see my mom first and then on to wherever we're going for a week.

Question time... What was your favorite subject in school? Bet you can't guess what mine was... Of course it was English, although I also enjoyed the Culinary Arts and Commercial Baking classes I took in high school. I already knew I enjoyed cooking and baking, so that was just to help me learn what I hadn't figured out on my own.

I hope you know that I feel the same about the miles starting to get to me, Edward. I'm falling...and falling hard...and the need to feel your arms around me, your lips on mine, is becoming something that I feel like I'll go crazy for if I don't get it soon. I know we have a good while still before that can happen, though, so I'm trying to just remind myself that until then, I get your sweet, sexy words on email, your gorgeous face on Skype, and your panty-melting voice on Skype and the phone. We'll make it through the rest of your tour, and if I'm lucky, I'll get all of that in person in a few months.

Unf! *whine* Why must you tease me with the two hands remark? That's just torture, pure and simple, babe. That's all there is to it. Just for that... Of course I imagined it was your fingers inside me... I saw how long and strong they were on Skype. Thinking of them slipping through my slick heat, moving inside me had me flying too damn quick...

*sigh* I need to go. Rose just texted me to say they were on their way, and I want to take a quick shower and change clothes before they get here. I need to wash the stress of the day down the drain.

Be safe, babe.

Yours,  
Bella

P.S. I'll have my phone and laptop with me this weekend, so if you email or call, it'll be like I haven't gone anywhere. xoxo

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ok, so first, yeah, Bella was DED, just like you guys. ;) And now she's going home to tell Charlie all about Edward. Should be fun. *grin***

**Second, poor Christopher. :( Unfortunately, cases like this I'd imagine aren't too off the mark occasionally for teachers. One reader said when I brought up Christopher in an earlier chapter that I had Bella doing the right thing, not reporting her suspicions earlier. But a friend of mine said no, she'd have needed to report it immediately. I don't know if what I had her do is what a teacher would do in real life or not, so for the story's sake, just pretend it is. Regardless, if I had suspicions that a child was being abused, I personally wouldn't wait. Or at least, that's what I tell myself now, when I'm not faced with it. Still, it's a horrible situation.**

**By the way... Jordan (was DC_Mofo and is now InkAddict89 on Twitter) reviewed _Coming Home_ on The Lemonade Stand. Be sure to check it out and then show him love on Twitter in thanks. You can see it and all the other reviews here: www. tehlemonadestand 2012/06/tls-fics-of-week-june-18-24-2012-fab. html (take out the spaces).**

**Ok, Bella really need the love right now, so please, show her some support by reviewing, and then head over to see Sarge's reaction. ;) – Jenny**


	30. Chapter 30: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh boy. Let's see how Sarge handles Bella's news about Christopher. And... **grins** I thought you would enjoy some guy time.**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Friday, May 14, 2010 at 5:38 A.M.**

I rubbed my face, closing my laptop. "Fuck," I groaned, glancing up at the clock and wondering if I had time to call my girl. I didn't. My squad was due on patrol in twenty minutes, and I still needed to grab something to eat in the mess tent.

Something had told me there would be an early morning email, and I was glad I'd checked, but now I wished I could call her, write her back, _something_. I could tell Bella's big heart was fucking shattered over little Christopher. The positive was that he got to keep her as his teacher, but dammit...

"Yo, Sarge! Let's go," Jasper called from his bunk.

"I'm starvin', man!" Emmett added, slamming the door open.

After storing my laptop away, I shouldered my weapon, spinning it to my back. The mess tent was full, loud, and filled with everyone from overnight squads coming in to the medical personnel on break.

I sat down with my tray, now no longer hungry.

"Did Bells email you this morning?" Jasper asked, frowning at me from across the table.

"Yeah," I said, grimacing.

"Did she kick you to the curb already?" Emmett laughed, smacking my shoulder. "What the hell did you do?"

"Fuck, no, she didn't, and I didn't do anything!" I growled back, rolling my eyes at their laughter. As we ate, I told them about little Christopher, but it seemed Jasper was already aware of it.

"That's rough, Sarge," he sighed, shaking his head. "Ali emailed me, too. She said Bells was upset. The girls get attached to those kids after working with them for a year, you know?"

I nodded, because I could tell Bella loved her kids at school. "She's so upset that she and the girls are going to see her father this weekend," I told them, standing up to throw away my trash. "And while she's there, she's going to tell him about...me," I groaned, rolling my eyes when the asses laughed again.

"Charlie's cool," Jasper chuckled, slapping my shoulder and giving it a grip. "He's licensed to carry a weapon in public, but he's cool."

My face must've said it all, because Emmett snorted, shaking his head.

"Relax, Sarge. Charlie's laid back, and yeah, she's all he's got, but all it'll take is a good word about you from us...which we've already given to Rose and Alice...and he adores them." He grinned, liked he'd solved all the world's problems.

"The simpleton has a point," Jasper mused, looking up at me as we made our way to the Humvee. "Yeah, Charlie's tough to get to know, but he's a good man, respects Bella's opinion, and uses Alice and Rose as backup."

We piled into the truck, and Emmett started her up.

"He may be skeptical of this situation you and Bells are in, but he'll come around, especially when we take you back with us," Emmett added, pulling through the gates of our base. "And don't give me any shit, bro. You are definitely coming back with us. We're your family now, man."

I snorted, but the sentiment shocked me. I'd been alone for so long, even when dating Tanya, that I didn't know what to make of it, but I knew that I wanted to be with Bella, and with her came these guys and their wives. It was an uneasy, yet amazing feeling.

Our patrol was the perimeter of the base, keeping an eye on the main roads that the locals used just as much as we did. Once we were far enough out, Emmett stopped just off the side of the road, pulling out a camera from his pocket.

"Rosie asked for more pics, Jazz," he said. "Full gear, this time."

"We should send some of the three of us. I bet they'd like that. Bellsy, too," Jasper added, hopping down from the truck. "Set the timer, Em, and then set it up on the hood."

I had to hand it to them...they knew how to ham it up for their wives, and I couldn't help but join in. The idiots posed separately, together, weapons at the ready, sunglasses, without sunglasses, with me, without me, flexed muscles, stupid grins, and attempted sexy pouts. It was fucking hilarious. Before I knew it, it was time to move on to another position.

~oooOOOooo~

"I want to call Bella," I said softly, mainly to Jasper beside me as we leaned against the truck, but I knew Emmett was listening as he checked out an abandoned car. "And I want to send her those pictures, too. You know, while they're with her dad. I want to cheer her up."

"That's a good idea," Jasper agreed. "We can't do much for them, but we do what we can."

"Aw, hell," Emmett groaned suddenly. "I knew I forgot something. Remind me to sleep in a shirt tonight..."

"Huh?" I asked, looking to Jasper.

"Rose asks for one of his shirts that he's slept in every now and then," Jasper explained with a chuckle. "She says it makes not having him at home a little more bearable because she says the smell of him isn't in their bed after she washes the sheets."

My eyebrows shot up. "Oh," I said, nodding, but finally deciding what I needed to do.

"She'll like that," Jasper whispered, giving me a knowing look. "It'll be like sending her a hug. Do it. Alice wears an old set of my dog tags...says that's all she needs to keep me close. But Bells..." He stopped and grinned. "She likes her big T-shirts to sleep in. Alice complains enough for me to know. Send it."

I chuckled, thinking she'd said the same thing in her last email, and then nodded and checked the time. Our shift was almost over. "Let's wind it up for the day, guys," I ordered, walking around to the passenger side of the truck.

"Here," Emmett said, tossing something to me over the truck.

I caught the camera's memory card, looking up at him.

He grinned. "You send them."

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 5:13 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 5:13 A.M.  
Subject: I'd give anything to be able to hug you...

Sweetheart, I'm so fucking sorry. You need to know just how badly I want to be there for you, to hold you. You have no idea. I'm glad to know that Christopher gets to keep you as his teacher, that he has something stable in his life that he can trust. And obviously, he trusts you, Bella. At least you don't have to worry about him now. You can keep an eye on him, see how he's doing, and be there for him.

I'm going to call you in a few minutes, beautiful, but at least you'll have this for later. Okay?

I'm glad you're going to see your dad. It's good that you've got someone who can be there for you. Though, should I be scared that you're telling him about us? Em and Jazz say no, but they aren't carrying on a long distance...whatever this is with his daughter. LOL They said to have Alice and Rose put in a favorable word with him. Give me their emails! Quick! LOL

If he asks you what my intentions are, Bella, because every dad does... You tell him that my intention is to get out of this desert and to you so I can treat you like the angel you are.

Let's see...favorite subject in school... Phys. Ed. Sex Ed? Yeah, definitely Sex Ed. LOL No, I liked P.E., but I liked history and English, too.

That's it, I can't take it. I need to hear your voice, and I can't wait any longer.

Edward

P.S. I'm attaching some pictures that I hope put a smile on your beautiful face. The guys and I thought it would.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Such good boys. :) It was sweet of them to pose for pics, tell Sarge about Charlie, and tell him that he's coming home with them. :)**

**I know the biggest question was when will they meet face to face. Well, see...now if we told you that, then this story's plot kinda flies out the window. LOL I will promise you that it's SO worth it! ;)**

**Thanks for all the love all of you are showing this fic. It means so much to us! See you guys tomorrow! Mooches, Deb. :)**


	31. Chapter 31: Bella

**A/N #1: Gotta love Sarge's reaction to Bella's email yesterday, huh? He was hurting for her and was determined to call her. So yes, this is that call. ;) Once again, thank you for all the love! Welcome to all our new readers. We hope you enjoy. :) Now, read on to see how Bella reacts to Sarge's call.**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, May 14, 2010 at 5:33 A.M.**

I had just pulled a batch of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven when the phone rang, startling me enough that I nearly dropped the tray, burning my finger in the process.

"Ow, shit," I hissed as I reached for the phone and hit Accept.

"Bella? What's wrong?" Edward sounded alarmed at my curse.

The corner of my lip turned up in a smile as I stuck my finger in my mouth to soothe the sting for a second. "Hi," I said, my voice breathy, without thinking to answer his question.

"Hi, sweetheart," he chuckled. "Wanna tell me why you answered the phone like that? I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"I wouldn't have cared if you had," I told him, shaking my head and moving to the sink. My finger wasn't even really red, but it still stung a bit. I turned the cool water on and held it under that while we talked. "I couldn't sleep, so I've been baking cookies to take to Forks later. The phone startled me, and I almost dropped the pan. It's all good, though. No cookies were harmed," I teased him.

"You all right, beautiful? Not burned?" His concern was sweet and made me smile once more.

"Nope, just hurt a little, but it looks fine. I'm going to turn off the oven and just let these cool, so we can talk." I moved to do just that before walking into the living room. "Is everything okay? I didn't expect to hear from you so soon."

He barked a laugh, and I realized how that must have sounded.

"Oh, God," I groaned, shaking my head. "I didn't mean it that way." Laughing, I said, "I'm glad to hear your voice, truly. I just figured you were probably busy so I would have to wait to talk to you on the phone until after the weekend."

His laughter died, and he was quiet for a moment. "You sounded shattered in your email, sweetheart. It just about broke my damn heart, and I couldn't wait another moment to call and hear your voice. I'm so fucking sorry about little Christopher."

I sighed, getting comfortable on the couch. "Thank you, Edward. I can't help but blame myself just a little bit, ya know?" He made a noise like he was about to protest, and I hurried to continue explaining what I'd meant. "I know I didn't put the bruises there, but I've known for weeks that something was wrong, and I just didn't trust my instincts. If I had...if I had spoken to the principal weeks ago, he wouldn't have the bruises and..."

Feeling like I was going to be sick, I closed my eyes and breathed through my nose, willing the nausea away.

I must have been quiet for too long, because Edward prompted me, "And what, beautiful?"

Without opening my eyes, I mumbled, "Cigarette burns. Two fresh and several old spots on his upper back, near his shoulder."

I broke down in tears again, feeling the weight of knowing I could have saved Christopher from at least the latest round of abuse had I gone to the principal when I'd first suspected what was going on. Edward murmured soothing words and sounds, his voice wrapping itself around me in as much of a hug as he could give me at the moment, and let me cry it out.

"I-It's m-my f-fault h-he d-didn't g-get ou-out o-of th-there s-sooner." My tears made my words come out as broken as I felt at the moment, and I was close to feeling like I was going to hyperventilate.

Edward cursed under his breath, barely loud enough for me to hear. "Isabella, put that thought of you being responsible out of your head right now. How many days did you take food for him to make sure he had something to eat? How often did you speak kindly to him? It may not feel like it, sweetheart, but I promise, you helped him more than you know. Remember, he's the one that wouldn't let you go when he had to tell his story."

Eventually, Edward's sweet words broke through and helped calm me until I was sniffling, but not crying.

"Talk to me," I requested, needing to hear his voice. "Just...anything."

He hummed in thought, and the sound just...did something to me. My heart melted a little, and a small smile crept up on my face.

"You know, Emmett having to streak wasn't the only bet he's lost. And Jasper's no fucking saint." He chuckled. "When we first arrived at base camp here, there was a squad that was really into golf. They set up a small driving range on the base and everything. Um...Emmett can't golf...but he _thinks_ he can. He thinks if it's a sport, then he can at least attempt it."

I rolled my eyes, well aware of Emmett's boastful nature on his sporting abilities.

"They used to challenge each other to different tests of ability, kind of like HORSE in basketball. They'd say where they were hitting it and where it was going to land, and if they did it, then the next guy went. Losers usually had to do something stupid, like steal the CO's Jeep or take something from the General's office.

"We were new...I told him not to take the challenge, because he swung a golf club like a baseball bat, and they are two completely different things. He lost miserably. Even Jasper beat him, and Jazz hates golf.

"They made him eat a scorpion. One of those big bastards, too. Asshole was sick for days..." he finished with a snicker of amusement.

"Oh my damn," I laughed, shaking my head. "I bet that's when he told Rose he had come down with the flu. Why he hides that shit from her, I'll never know. It's not like she thinks he's a perfect angel..."

He laughed again and then asked, "So you were making cookies, hmm? You said to take down to Forks?"

"Yup," I answered, popping the "p."

"Mmm," he moaned softly. "If you happened to set some of those aside for me, I might be convinced to...make it worth your while."

I had a hard time not melting into a puddle on the couch at the purr in his voice, but instead, I decided to tease him. "Sergeant Masen, I think you just like me for my cookies..."

"Beautiful," his voice rumbled, low and sexy, "the cookies are just a perk. They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, you know..."

Giving a truly girlish giggle, I said, "Well, I might have a few already boxed up. I suppose I could address it to you."

"Good girl," he replied, making me laugh once more.

With a sigh, I looked at the clock. "As much as I don't want to, babe, I need to go. I have to finish one more batch of cookies and pack for the trip. We're leaving straight from school."

"You guys be careful on the drive down. Email when you get there and let me know you arrived safely?" There was a hint of worry in his voice, which was totally endearing – even if it was unnecessary.

"I will," I promised.

"Good. I'll be sure to check before we head out for our shift."

I smiled at the thought of him waking up and checking his email first thing. "Hey, Edward?" I couldn't let him go without one last thing...

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Thank you," I said, my voice breaking as I remembered why he'd called. "It means a lot that you called and let me cry. I feel a lot better than I did an hour ago."

"Anytime, beautiful," he sighed. "Anytime."

I didn't want to say goodbye, so instead, I simply said, "I'll talk to you again soon," and then hung up the phone, my head falling back to the couch as fresh tears filled my eyes.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: *sniffle* I need a Sarge shoulder to cry on, don't you? He's so swoon-worthy...**

**In case you didn't see yesterday (and we forgot to mention it specifically in the A/N), don't forget to check our profile for a link to one of the pictures Edward sent Bella... Mmm, Sarge in his gear? Yes, please! :D**

**Now, leave sniffly Bella (& me... LOL) some love before scooting by to see what else Sarge has to say next chapter! :) – Jenny**


	32. Chapter 32: Edward

**A/N #1: You gotta love Sarge for knowing just what his Bella needed. Just a big shoulder to cry on, even if it was halfway around the world. Let's see what he has to say to her as she's getting ready to head to Charlie's.**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 8:04 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 8:04 A.M.  
Subject: Yeah, another email...I may be addicted, Miss Swan

Do they have Beautiful Girls Anonymous? And just what 12 steps would you have to go through? Hmm...

It was so fucking good to talk to you, yet I found that it wasn't enough. I can't do much from here, Bella, but I can listen – not that it didn't kill me to hear you crying. I wished I could hold you, take all the bad stuff away, and I know that I can't. I'm always here if you need me, even if it's a long distance shoulder to cry on. Okay? Christopher will be fine, sweetheart. Please stop blaming yourself. You did everything that you could, and now the little man is safe. PLUS, he's still got you to watch over him – his own personal guardian angel. That's the most important thing. Will you try to remember that for me?

I want you to know that they TRIED to serve cookies in the mess tent. O_o Oh, the things you could teach them, Miss Swan. I'm not so sure we couldn't use the damn things as a weapon...sort of like a Chinese star. They were deadly, I tell you. You've spoiled me, beautiful. And I'm an idiot not to find out exactly what kind of cookie you were concocting earlier to send to me. Never mind! Don't tell me!

Speaking of sending stuff... You've got your own package coming. It's not much, but I'll be sending it out in the morning. It's just some things I wanted you to have, and I think I owe you a T-shirt, right?

Something strange happened after dinner, and I think I just wanted to tell someone that wasn't...here. Jazz, Em, and I decided to toss the football around after dinner, because we're all a little restless. I think they're worried about you, too. My CO, Lieutenant Stephens, pulled me aside and took me to his office. (No, baby, I'm not in trouble. He's not like the principal. ;) ) He asked me crazy questions, like... Is there anyone on my squad that I didn't trust? How much longer on my tour? And he asked me about Kandahar, both missions. It was like being debriefed, but not really. He congratulated me on a job well done because we'd worked with a Special Ops group in order to take down a cell. I'm not sure what any of it means, but I guess I just needed to talk about it. The fact that he asked if there was anyone I didn't trust worries me. My squad is solid, so I can't imagine what he meant by that.

20 Questions, Isabella... What's your favorite childhood memory? For me... My mother's piano lessons were great, but sometimes, my dad would take off early from work (and trust me, that was rare). He'd pick me up from school and take me to baseball games. We were White Sox fans down to our very bones. Once or twice, he'd take me to a Bears game, but not as often. It was just the two of us, and the last time was just before my mother got sick, so I was...16? 17? He'd buy us dogs and sodas, and it was just "guy time," my mom called it. She called us "her boys."

I'm going to bed, beautiful. I hope you don't forget to email me when you get to your dad's. I WILL be checking in the morning, Miss Swan! ;)

Dreaming of you...

Edward

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: That man and his cookies...I swear. Oh, and he's sending her stuff. Besides a shirt, any clue as to what he's sending?**

**Hmm...It seems those of you that are used to my writing are bracing yourselves for something...devastatingly harsh. LOL Don't. Just...enjoy this ride, will ya? ;)**

**Okay, reviews are better than Sarge's tight end... Wait...no. No, they really don't come anywhere close. LOL But we read them all just the same. ;) See you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	33. Chapter 33: Bella

**A/N: Wasn't Sarge's email after their phone call just too damn sweet? Love him...almost as much as we love you guys. You're amazing! Thank you to everyone who has recommended us to their friends or their own readers. We are truly blessed. Now, see how the beginning of the trip to Forks goes, and I'll see you at the bottom!**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, May 12, 2010 at 3:52 P.M.**

"C'mon, girl. Get a move on!" Rose called as she stepped into my classroom.

I was just putting stuff away after the final bell had rung not ten minutes before, but Rose's day had ended an hour before mine and Alice's, so she was always here right after our kids left.

"I'm done," I huffed teasingly. "Where's Alice?"

"Right here," the woman herself answered, slipping under Rose's arm as she leaned against the doorway. "You ready, Bells?"

Nodding, I grabbed my purse and the bag containing my laptop, checking to make sure my top drawer was locked before making my way to my girls. "My bag is in my car. Are we still taking yours, Rose?"

"Yup, and no, I already got your bag out and put it in my trunk. You want to drop yours off at home first?"

I thought about it for a minute. "Alice, your place is closer. Can I just leave it there?"

"Yup," she answered, already moving down the hall while I locked my door behind me. "I need to drop mine off, too, so that works."

We parted at the cars, and then Rose and I followed Alice out of the parking lot.

~oooOOOooo~

The first hour of the drive, we talked about school, caught up with the latest gossip on our men, and figured out what we wanted to do while in Forks – which was simply to relax and let Charlie take care of us.

When there was a lull in the conversation, I finally pulled out my phone and opened my email. I felt the butterflies take up residence in my stomach again when I saw that I had two emails from Edward. I wondered how long that would happen – how long I would get nervous and excited and all sorts of fluttery inside when he called or wrote. Forever, I hoped. It was something I'd never felt before and would forever remind me of him.

By the time I finished the first email, sent before he'd called me early that morning, I was in silent tears. To read his virtual hug was just more than my tired mind could handle without crying. When my girls gasped and asked what was wrong, I shook my head and held up a finger, telling them to give me a minute, and went right back to reading.

"Holy. Shit!" I gasped, feeling my jaw drop. "Rose, pull the damn car over..."

As fast as she whipped the car to the side of the road, I think Rose might have been worried something was horribly wrong.

The squeals inside her BMW when I turned the computer around to show them the pictures Edward had sent were almost deafening.

"Good God," Rose growled. "Our men are deadly, aren't they?"

Alice just nodded dumbly, her eyes glued on Jasper in the picture of the three of them, a close up of their faces as they all smiled sexily. I understood... Edward's smirk just about made me spontaneously combust.

After promising to email them the ones containing Em & Jasper, I closed that email, quickly pulling up the second, which he'd sent a couple of hours after the first, after our much-too-short phone call.

My breathing quickened, my heart sputtering at the thought of getting a package from Edward. And...was it possible he was sending me one of his shirts? Oh fuck... I just might not live through that.

The story of his dad – especially knowing what happened just a couple of years after that – brought tears to my eyes again. I was really glad he had some good memories of his father. I didn't know what I'd do without mine, so knowing that Edward didn't have either of his parents anymore was just damn sad.

For the rest of the drive, I read back through all our old emails and looked at all the pictures again. It wasn't the same as talking to him on the phone, but for now, it would do.

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 7:40 P.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 7:40 A.M.  
Subject: Safe and sound

Hi, babe.

Just wanted to let you know that we made it safe and sound to Forks. My dad was a little confused about why I couldn't sit down and talk with him right away... LOL I just made some excuse (I don't even remember what I said – some nonsense, I'm sure) and ran upstairs to start up the laptop so I could email you. I know I'll have to explain when I go back downstairs, but...I'm not so worried about that. He'll love knowing you make me this happy, even before actually meeting in person.

That is strange about being called into the lieutenant's office. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. It sounds like he respects you and thinks you're doing a great job. He probably just wanted to check in, make sure you thought everything was going well. :)

Let's see... Favorite childhood memory? I'd say it's a tie. Moving in with my dad my junior year of high school was great. We hadn't been really close before then since I only visited a couple of times a year, and it was so good being able to spend time getting to know him. I also remember one summer when I was...about eight, I think? My mom was really into pottery that summer, and there was an arts and crafts fair in Phoenix (inside, of course, because it was way too hot to hold outdoors). She took me with her while she tried to sell her stuff, and by the end of the second day, I was antsy and wanted to explore. She closed up shop (she'd only sold one piece...and boy, THAT guy was an odd duck...) and let me drag her around the rest of the exhibits. There were a bunch of interactive things for kids, and she was right there with me the whole time, playing like she was my age. It is one of my favorite memories of her, where I didn't have to be the adult. I got to act like a kid, and it was even ok for her to act like one, too.

Ok, quick "20 Questions" question now from me... Most embarrassing moment? *grin* For me, I'd have to say in high school, before I moved in with my dad, when I came out of the bathroom at school with not only the back of my skirt tucked up in my panties, but toilet paper trailing behind me from the bottom of my shoe. I was mortified the rest of the time I was there at that school. Looking back now, I can see the amusement... Then? Not so much. ;)

Charlie is calling me down, so I need to go. Talk soon?

Yours,  
Bella

P.S. When is your birthday? I haven't missed it since we started talking, have I? xoxo

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: How'd you like Bella's reaction? *laugh* I think she scared the girls in the car. ;) Poor Charlie...abandoned for email! haha And oh man, poor Bella! I never had that happen to me, thank goodness. Although I've had plenty of embarrassing stuff happen...which will remain a secret, tyvm!**

**Now, some exciting news! We now have a Facebook page for _Coming Home_, where you can chat with us and other readers. There will be Rob porn, almost definitely. ;) Check us out at: www. facebook groups/412819885436353/ (you can find the link on our profile without the silly spaces. ;) )**

**All right, leave Bella some love and then it's time to see what Sarge is up to! – Jenny**


	34. Chapter 34: Edward

**A/N #1: Damn...had to pull the car over to look at the pics of the boys. XD Okay, Sarge time... Embarrassing moments? **shudders** I'm glad I mentally block those out. LOL**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 8:08 A.M.  
Date Received: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 8:08 P.M.  
Subject: **sighing a breath of relief**

Hey, Beautiful.

I'm glad to see you made the trip to your dad's okay. Don't ignore him on my account, silly girl. Go get that hug that you need. I'm already afraid he'll hate me... Don't give him anything to add fuel to the fire, like distracting you from time with him.

Today's my off-duty day, which also means laundry, sending your package, and possibly another game of football later with the guys. Emmett makes a fantastic fullback, especially if we're playing a more serious game against another squad. Jasper, on the other hand, has a killer spiral pass. And no jokes about tight ends, you hear me, Miss Swan? ;)

Let's see... Most embarrassing moment? You mean, besides the Wicked Witch's way of breaking up with me? LOL Maybe when I was like 12? I was waiting for the bus to pick us up for school. I had this major crush on Amber Ryan, and I was determined to talk to her that day or at least see if she would sit with me. I made sure that my clothes were just right, my hair was somewhat under control, and that I was wearing a brand new pair of sneakers. Unfortunately, it was a rainy/snowy day, so the sidewalk was slippery and the streets were slushy. Just as she walked up to the bus stop, a truck rolled by way too fast. Not only did he hit a puddle of slush, but it just happened to be right there at the curb where we were all waiting. I got the worst of it. This wave of street shit hit me, drenching me from head to toe. Not only that, but it knocked me straight on my ass. The whole bus stop cracked the fuck up, including Amber. Yeah, I never even looked her in the eye again. Embarrassing enough for you, Miss Swan? Thanks so much for making me relive that traumatizing moment from my teen years. ;)

Since we're talking embarrassment, you'll get a two-for-one. 20 Questions... What was your first date like? Mine ranks up there with Amber. My first real date, as in...picking up the girl, taking her somewhere, and paying for everything...not just meeting at the movies or the mall with a bunch of friends. I took Jodi Weekley to the local fair. BIG mistake. HUGE. Not only was she allergic to every-damn-thing, so I couldn't get her any of the cool food, but she wouldn't even ride any rides, except the Ferris wheel. And even that made her throw up on my shoes. Blech! Yeah, that was a first _and_ last date. She was so mortified that she wouldn't talk to me. Ever. Honestly, I wasn't mad, but you silly girls sometimes think shit is the end of the world when it really isn't. **shrug**

Time for laundry, beautiful. Have fun with the girls and your dad. And no, you haven't missed my birthday. It's June 20th. What'cha getting me? Can I make requests? I still have that box laying around here. I'm pretty sure you'll fit...

Talk to you soon, sweetheart,  
Edward

P.S. Give me fair warning if your dad decides I'm unworthy. Maybe the desert would make a nice retirement home... ;)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: heehee... tight end. Anyway, poor Sarge has had some rough luck with girls, I tell ya.**

**I'm actually kinda speechless in this A/N... We are getting new readers every day, amazing reviews from you guys, and just tons of recs and support. Thank you! Lots! You have no idea how much it means.**

**I know you're dying to hear Charlie's take on things... With that being said, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb! :)**


	35. Chapter 35: Bella

**A/N #1: I bet Jodi Weekley would kick herself if she could see Sarge now, huh? ;) Ok, I know you guys want Charlie. I will warn you... There's not a TON this chapter. But this isn't the last time Charlie will show up in the story, I promise.**

**~oOo~**

**Forks... Friday, May 12, 2010 at 8:15 P.M.**

"That's rough, Bells," Charlie commented in response to my story about Christopher. "You did the right thing, though. I've had to deal with my fair share of child abuse cases, and I know how hard it can be."

"Yeah, but I should have stepped in earl—"

"No, you can't do that, Bella," he interrupted. "You can't blame yourself. It sounds like you did everything you could have done. That little boy is in a better home now, and it's because you had the courage to step in when you were sure something was wrong. Period."

That was what Edward had said, but hearing it come from my dad, a law enforcement official who had put away guys like Christopher's sorry excuse for a father, just reinforced it in my mind.

"Thanks, Dad," I murmured, glancing down at my phone again. It had chimed an alert for a new email a few minutes before, but I'd been patiently waiting until I got back upstairs to read it...even though it was killing me.

"So, Charlie," Alice started, drawing his attention her way. "Tell us what's new with you? Are you still seeing Sue?"

I knew he was, so I half-tuned them out as I finally indulged my fourteen-year-old self and picked up my phone, quickly clicking into my email.

I grinned when I saw Edward's name at the top of the list.

_Tight ends..._ I bit my lip to keep from moaning. His tight end was definitely something I was looking forward to checking out!

I couldn't help the giggle that slipped out when I read about his most embarrassing moment and his first date.

"What's got your attention, Bells?" Charlie asked suspiciously. "I haven't heard you like that since you got asked out by Jake after you moved in here."

I looked up from the email, glancing at Alice and Rose, who were smirking – _thanks so much for the support,_ I tried telling them with a glare – and then turned to my dad.

"Well...umm...I sort of met a guy?" I told him, although it came out more like a question than a statement. It wasn't that I thought he would dislike Edward or that he would be unhappy I'd met someone – even though in his eyes, no one would ever be good enough for me – but I was worried what his reaction would be to the fact that Edward was a soldier and currently stationed in Afghanistan...and that we'd never met in person.

At the raise of his eyebrow, I took a deep breath and said, "His name is Edward Masen, he's a sergeant in the Army, stationed in Afghanistan, in charge of the squad Jazz and Emmett are members of." Another deep breath, and I admitted, "I'm in love with him, Dad..."

Charlie huffed, running a hand over his mustache, and collapsed back against his chair. "All right," he started, his voice calm. "Tell me about him."

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 1:12 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 1:12 P.M.  
Subject: Well...you aren't a dirty little secret anymore... ;)

Not that you were EVER a _dirty little secret_, of course, but... I told Charlie all about you. I told him how we met (he was as disgusted by the Wicked Witch as I was, by the way...), how much we had in common, and how much you already meant to me. Rose and Alice made sure to put in good words, telling them everything their husbands had said, that you were a good guy – honorable, kind, fiercely loyal, good leader, calm in dangerous situations...or a "real stand-up guy," in Jasper's words. In the end, he said he'd reserve judgment until he met you himself, but he made me promise to say this: "You hurt my daughter, insurgents aren't the only thing you'll have to worry about."

*rolls eyes and laughs*

Anyway, he's asleep on his recliner downstairs, Rose and Alice are asleep in Charlie's room, and I decided to email you before I lie down, too.

I'll have you know my giggle over your most embarrassing moment is what gave me away... I couldn't resist checking my phone after it alerted me to a new email. You poor thing! lol That definitely lands in the embarrassing column... I have to say that both Amber Ryan and Jodi Weekley would kick themselves if they knew you now. But too bad! Their loss, my gain. ;)

Ahh, my first date... Well, as you can imagine, I wasn't a huge hit with the guys in Phoenix. I was a little awkward, a lot shy, and quite clumsy, all of which kind of...repelled them (in droves, unfortunately! LOL). So when I moved to Forks, imagine my shock when suddenly, I became the object of not only one, but three or four guys' attention. Whether it was just that I was the new girl, the police chief's daughter, or a combination of both, I don't know. Anyway, there's not a lot to do here, but Jacob Black – the son of my dad's best friend – asked me out a few weeks into the school year, and we went bowling. Not good... I ended up letting the ball go on the back swing, tossing it onto Jacob's foot, not once, but twice. (I swear, the 2nd time was his fault...he should have learned after the first time not to stand behind me!) I also couldn't get my fingers out of the holes once and ended up face planting on the bowling lane. It was...pretty humiliating. LOL

Oooh, just BARELY a Gemini, not quite a Cancer, huh? Talented in many things (hmm, music, smooth talking strange women over the computer...), thirsty for knowledge, a romantic, charming... Yes, I'd say those describe you to a tee.

All right, I confess... I know nothing of astrology. *snicker* I had to go look that stuff up. Regardless, I'm sure I'll be able to figure out something...fun...for you for your birthday this year – even if it isn't me in a box. ;(

I don't really celebrate my birthday. My mom liked to go overboard when I was really little, but honestly, for a long time, I hated being the center of attention. So now, it's just usually me and the girls, going out for dinner, maybe drinks and dancing. Since it's shortly after school starts (September 13th), we don't usually go too crazy.

My turn for a question or two...

One... Are you a cat or dog person? I love cats, but they don't seem to love cuddling with me. I do love dogs, too, though, and they seem to like me.

And two... Tell me one of your fantasies...

Mine? Mmm...I have so many... I love the idea of having sex somewhere public enough that I'm worried about getting caught. I guess you could say I'm a bit of an exhibitionist. Not like doing anything for strangers or anything like that...but the idea of the man I love watching me or just the possibility that we'll get caught having sex gets me going like you wouldn't believe.

On that note, I'm going to go hide my warm face in the cool sheets now. Maybe sleep, maybe just die of embarrassment because I can't believe I told you all that. LOL

Thinking of you,  
Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So Charlie now knows about Edward...and grudgingly approves (so far as a father can without having met his daughter's suiter. ;) ). Like I said, I promise you'll get more Charlie later in the story. :)**

**For those that wanted Jake...I give you some Jake stuff. *laugh* Oh, not what you were looking for? ;) Sorry! LOL**

**The cat/dog thing? Totally me. I love cats...but usually, our three prefer my husband over me. He swears it's because they know I'm really a dog person...when I say I'm a cat person. *shrug* Oh well. ;)**

**And our Bella is an exhibitionist, huh? I'm keeping mum about whether or not that's based on real life (or fantasy. LOL).**

**All right, I figure you're ready to get to Sarge. I'm sure he'll have some...fun...things to say about the bowling & public sex. So leave Bella some love (& if you can get your hands – two of them, remember! – on a naked picture of Sarge, well...all the better. ;) – Jenny**


	36. Chapter 36: Edward

**A/N #1: Ha! So our brave, flirty Bella finally admitted something that embarrassed her. Let's see how Sarge reacts to that. **

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 5:06 P.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 5:06 A.M.  
Subject: Oh, I can be dirty, Isabella...

Trust me when I tell you that the Wicked Witch usually brings out the most amazing reactions in people – both good and bad...mostly bad.

However, I'm glad you told your dad, Bella. He should know. You can tell him that his message was received loud and clear. The last thing I'd want to do is hurt you, beautiful. I know this thing between us isn't easy, and I'll probably screw up at some point, but you mean too much to me to even think of jeopardizing any bit of trust you've given me. If I fuck up...just TELL me. I promise to try to make amends.

Poor, poor Jake... LOL Did you REALLY drop the bowling ball twice on his foot? In your defense, though, you really should have had a better instructor. It's all about the _size_ of the ball, Isabella – not too big and not too small...just right. The _holes_ are a different story. You need to be able to slip inside and hold them there, but you also need enough room to slip out quickly after _release_. Make sense? ;)

Cats or dogs? Hmm, we never had pets when I was growing up. Although, there was this stray cat that my mother fed on a pretty regular basis. Does that count? I mean, he was a pretty cool guy. She called him George. He'd hang out in the yard and stuff, come say hello every now and then if we were on the back deck. So I guess George counts. Does that make me less of a man if I like the _pussy_ cat more than the dog? **snicker**

Well...aren't we just Miss Adventurous, hmm? Sometimes it scares me how much we have in common, you naughty girl. I do love the idea of being in a situation with the _possibility_ of being caught. Something about an elevator, where there are several floors, where there's a chance of the doors opening at any time... Yeah, it goes back to what you said about being unable to wait until you are completely inside the room. I've never tried it, but I've always wanted to. You game, Isabella? ;) However, there's something you should know... I won't share you with prying eyes when we're making love, beautiful. Period. When I'm in love with someone, I don't want anyone else seeing her but me.

My turn... 20 Questions... You seem to like to cook, so what's your favorite food? For me – besides your cookies – it would be a good fire-grilled steak. That's all sorts of manly, right? Meat and potatoes? LOL Oh, well, it's the truth. Maybe that makes up for liking cats...

Enjoy the rest of your time with your dad, sweetheart.

And Bella, I never want you to be embarrassed about anything that you tell me. We've only had honesty between us thus far, and I'd like that to continue. You're a beautiful and extremely sexy woman...never, ever hide that from me. Please.

Now needing a cold shower after thoughts of you in bed...

Edward

P.S. Does Daddy know you're thinking – and possibly doing? – naughty things while under his roof? Tsk, tsk, Isabella.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Whew...goodness! He really is falling hard, huh? ;)**

**I want to thank everyone that came over to Facebook to play on the Sarge's Girls page. It's a whole lot of fun on there. Come join us. :) You'll find the link on our profile.**

**I'm not even gonna say it. You guys are the best and show the best love there is out there, so on that note... See you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	37. Chapter 37: Bella

**A/N #1: First, thank you thank you for pushing us over the 2300 mark. You guys are amazing. We're both so thrilled you love the story so much. :)**

**Ok, so... A lot of you caught Edward's slip about love at the end of last chapter. Very good. ;) Now, whether Bella did or not remains a mystery, sorry. *grin* For all of our girl's bravado, she knows it's only been a couple of months, and they've never even met in person, so she's a little bit scared to hope or admit to the one person that matters. She's positive about how she feels, but after Mike? She's a little gun-shy. I promise... I _promise_, it's coming soon. So on that note, let's see what Bella has to say in response to Sarge, huh? ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 7:33 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 7:33 P.M.  
Subject: My, my, Sergeant Masen...

You are a dirty boy, aren't you, babe? *laugh* I'll have you know I haven't done anything naughty under my father's roof. This visit. Yet... Although, after your email, it's a safe bet that the walls will have some secrets tonight... ;)

Yes, I really did throw the ball into that idiot's foot twice! I doubt he had any more of an idea how to handle balls than I did at that point. I think I have bowling under control now... The fingers in the holes, just the right amount of pressure to keep from slipping out before I'm ready to release. Now pool, on the other hand... I'm not sure if I know how to hold the stick right – the long, smooth stroke, moving it back and forth in my fingers... I may need some extra guidance. Are you willing to teach me, Edward?

Aww, big man who likes kittens? Too freakin' adorable, I tell you! I'd love to see you hanging out on the bed or the couch, a tiny little kitten digging her claws in as she climbs all over you, making you wince but unable to put her down. *love*

Let's see... My favorite food? To eat or cook? I love making chicken enchiladas. They have a ton of cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup...so they aren't a bit healthy, but oh man, they are delicious. To eat? Anything Italian, really. A nice, crispy chicken parmesan or an ooey-gooey lasagna. I love cheese, so... LOL

Mmm, an elevator? Really? That's just...all kinds of hot right there. Fuck, Edward... lol Now I'm going to have THAT image in my head all damn day, you know that, right? I'm never going to be able to get into an elevator again without needing to change my panties, thank you very much... See, if you really want to know... Right now, in my head? We're in an elevator, way in the back corner, and we aren't alone. There are enough other people in there that it's a little crowded, so having me flush against your chest doesn't look strange. I'm wearing a short skirt, and you have your hand between my legs from behind, your fingers inside me, making me come while I can't make a sound. No one could tell what we were doing, no one could see anything, but we would know... You would feel me clenching around your fingers, feel my fingernails digging into your other arm, which is wrapped around my waist to hold me upright. That would be the only clues that you had made me orgasm.

Fucking hell...

I think it's time I go take my own cold shower so I can make everyone pancakes for breakfast. Maybe by the time I get to the kitchen, I'll have calmed down enough that I don't sound like I've just run a marathon – the heavy breathing will be a dead giveaway to what I was just doing or thinking...

Be a good boy, and maybe you'll find a new picture in your email box later or tomorrow... ;)

Missing you every moment,  
Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Whew! She's not shy, is she? LOL Her favorite foods are mine (I swear, I'm not making her me. LOL I'm not nearly as bold as she is, for one...). My family & I make chicken enchiladas that are just so damn yummy...and not a bit of it is good for you. roflmao ****(Oh, and yes, it's short. But remember, she's at her dad's, so she's not got unlimited time. ;) )**

**Those of you who are members of our Facebook group got to see a teaser from this chapter about the elevator. If you aren't a member, you should join us! :) Check our profile for a link.**

**All right... Leave Bella some love to motivate her to send Sarge some new pictures and then head on over to read his response. Love you guys! – Jenny**


	38. Chapter 38: Edward

**A/N #1: I think I need to clarify an issue. Bella and Edward have been writing just a little over 2 months (she wrote the first letter the first week of March). In chapter 14, Sarge stated that he had approximately 6 months left on his tour...that was in April. It's now mid-May, so we're down to about 5 ½ months. Okay?**

**With that all cleared up...this chapter comes with a CITRUS WARNING. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 11:24 P.M.**

_The barracks were unusually empty when I came back from my shower. I was exhausted, but the silence was almost deafening. Thinking that most of the men were down at the mess tent for a poker game, I shrugged it off and made my way to my bunk._

_I opened my foot locker, dropping my latrine bag back inside, and took out my iPod. I thought maybe I could lull myself to sleep with music, instead of staying up on my laptop to write every random and idiotic thought that crossed my mind. I had an email started to Bella, but I wanted to add to it and send it in the morning so she'd get it after she got home from her father's tomorrow._

_Closing and locking my locker back, I froze, because the barracks were no longer empty, but I had to shake my head. I'd heard no one come in, seen no one walking around, and I damn well would have noticed someone like _that_ wandering around a men's Army barracks._

_Bella was draped across my bed in small, navy blue, lacy things, like a gift. She was so fucking beautiful that I couldn't speak, only look. Starting at her sparkly painted toes, my eyes raked up toned legs that were smooth and crossed over one another. Dark lace barely covered her, coming to a vee just below a bellybutton that made me lick my lips. My hands twitched, which caused my iPod to drop to the foot of the bed when my eyes met more lace and cleavage and smooth skin up a graceful neck. It was the face I'd been aching to see again, not in a still picture, but in motion and live. It was the deep, soulful brown eyes, sparkling with just enough mischief, that made me sit up and take notice. Those eyes looked at me like no one ever had before. It was a look that made everything okay and made me feel like I was the only thing on this fucking planet that mattered to someone...to her – and we'd only fucking Skyped one time. But it was the voice I knew so well that snapped me out of my daze._

"_Hey, babe," she chuckled from my pillow, brunette locks spread around her like a chocolate halo. Her sweet grin curled up the corners of her mouth, causing her eyes to glow._

_Those eyes and her sweet, yet dangerous smile helped me find my voice. "Bella..."_

"_C'mere," she whispered, waving me over, and when I didn't move, she sat up, grabbed my dog tags, and gave a tug. "Please, Edward..."_

_My name on her sweet lips was what did it – I was sure of it – but I obeyed her, falling down over her, because I couldn't help it. I wanted to ask what she was doing there, how she'd gotten on base, why, who, where...and a million other things, but we always talked. I didn't want words. I wanted her._

_Bracing my hands on either side of her head, I did something I'd been fucking dying to do since I'd seen her picture, seen her bite at her bottom lip, heard her amazing laugh. I kissed the shit out of her._

_Small hands branded my skin as I plundered her mouth with mine. Tasting her, claiming her, drinking from her, I just...took. And took. And kept taking, with no intention of ever stopping. My hips bucked forward, settling into the cradle of her thighs, and my cock found the most delicious friction against her lace covered pussy. She was wet and hot, with hands gripping at my T-shirt and pushing at my boxers. When my hips pushed forward again, we both moaned, our lips finally breaking apart._

"_Tell me to stop, beautiful," I told her, though my mouth never left her skin as I tasted every inch of flesh from her jaw down to her collarbone, all the while tugging down bra straps, cupping breasts, and pinching nipples._

"_Don't you dare stop, Sarge," she panted, taking my face in her hands and pulling me back up. "We both want it... Please..."_

_Sitting up between her legs, I reached back and tugged my shirt off over my head, only to grasp her underwear and swiftly yank them down her legs and off of her. Bella flicked open the front clasp of her bra, and suddenly, she was bare, underneath me, and begging for me to fuck her._

"_Fuck, baby," I groaned, wanting her so badly that I could barely breathe._

_My heart pounded in my chest as she pulled me back down over her. Skimming my hand down her thigh only to hitch it high around my waist, I kissed her again, suckling that bottom lip she teased me with at all times._

"_You're so fucking beautiful, Bella," I told her, nipping at a spot along her neck as she rolled her hips against mine, causing me to slip just inside of her wet heat. "I'm so in love with you, and I want you. Tell me I can have you...tell me you're mine, Bella..."_

"_Yes," she panted, but it came out in a long, low, moaning hiss as I slid completely inside of her. "I love you, too..."_

_And I came instantly._

My eyes snapped open, and I squeezed them shut again briefly. Glancing over at the clock and tugging out my earbuds, I saw that I'd been asleep for a several hours. I groaned, cursed under my breath, and covered my face with my pillow. What was I? Sixteen? A wet dream? Really?

The barracks were quiet, everyone asleep, as I went to clean myself up. When I got back to my bunk, I opened my laptop, saw that I had an email waiting for me, and I instantly replied.

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, May 16, 2010 at 12:56 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 12:56 P.M.  
Subject: I may have a heart attack before we ever meet...

I can't sleep, beautiful. It's all your fault. :) You've now invaded my dreams, as well as every thought when I'm awake. Though, I'm not sure this is a complaint. At least I get to see you in my dreams...touch you, kiss you. Maybe I can just sleep the rest of my tour here. LOL

Am I willing to teach you pool? Yes! Trust me when I tell you that it's all about the position of the _stick_, bending your body just the right way, and using angles to get it...just right...

Kittens are fun. :) My neighbor had a litter when I was young, and I used to go over there every day after school. Everything is an enemy, everything must be attacked without prejudice, and then...sleep. LOL Once all is right in their little world, they sleep without worries. There's probably something to be learned from them, because they either like you, or they don't. They see something in you they trust and they come to you, or they don't and they leave you be. It's almost understandable why the Egyptians worshiped them. They carry themselves with an air of royalty.

Bella, if you want a kitten, we'll get one. It's just one more reason to focus on getting the fuck out of here. Anything to see you smile. I mean that.

You've got the elevator all wrong, Isabella. The short skirt stays, but the car is empty. About halfway to our floor, I hit the emergency stop. I take you against the wall...hard and fast. Just before security gets there, I make you come around me, because I want to hear you when you call my name. None of this silent stuff. Emails are fucking silent enough.

Christ, I need a cold shower...again. O_o I'm not kidding when I say the miles between us are getting to me.

Please let me know when you get back home from your dad's. I need to know you're safe. Okay?

Losing my mind without you...

Edward

P.S. Question... Is it okay that I made you my emergency contact? I needed to change it. You're the only one I give a shit knowing if something happens to me. (And don't you dare freak out on me!) I just needed to make sure that you knew. Jasper and Emmett know, too, but I wanted to tell you. This is important, sweetheart, so if you aren't comfortable with it, I'll change it. Just...let me know.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: You guys might be right. Sarge can make anything sound dirty. LMAO ;) Pool, elevators, even his own dreams... O_o**

**I hope I clarified his time left for all of you. A little over five months left. Okay? If you're doing the math, then October.**

**Big hugs to all of the love we're receiving through this story. Just...THANK YOU! See you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	39. Chapter 39: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys so damn much! We are amazed once again at the love you're showing these guys! Not a lot to say up here, so read on to see more from Bella, including her response to Edward's last P.S. ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 2:07 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, May 16, 2010 at 2:07 A.M.  
Subject: You dream about me?

That's only fair, since my dreams are filled with you. ;) Talking about sticks and angles and bending my body just the right way... Yes, my dreams tonight won't be any different than they have been for awhile now. (Not that I'm complaining. *grin*)

I do think I'd like a kitten. I haven't had a pet since I was a kid. Maybe we can get a puppy, too, though. They can grow up together...

That's not fair, babe... First the pool, then elevator talk? Shit, you're trying to kill me, aren't you? I agree that emails are too silent. I mean, don't get me wrong...they are better than not being able to email at all, but still. I can't wait to hear your voice again – and being able to hear you...to see your face when you are turned on and horny and just about to come? Fuck, that thought just does something to me. And dammit... I'm out with the girls, taking cookies to the station, and now my panties need changing! LOL

I'd better go, babe.

Thinking of you always,  
Bella

P.S. Of course it's ok that you made me your emergency contact. I'm honored that you want it that way. I hope it never gets used, of course, but I love that you made that change. xoxo

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, May 15, 2010 at 4:26 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, May 16, 2010 at 4:26 A.M.  
Subject: I'm in email jail...

I feel like I've been too caught up in the computer and phone, so I'm putting myself in email jail. LOL I want to spend the evening with Charlie, so these are going out of sight until either late tonight or tomorrow.

I'll email when I get home for sure, though!

20 Questions time! Here's something to make you think...

From everything you've told me, it sounds like your parents had a good marriage (unlike mine...). What are some of the things you admired about their relationship, looking back on it now? For me, I don't remember mine being married, but I know one thing they didn't/couldn't do that helped lead to their divorce, and that is compromise. Each was so set on what they wanted that they couldn't figure out a way to make them both happy.

Missing you,

Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, May 16, 2010 at 5:32 P.M.  
Date Received: Mon, May 17, 2010 at 5:32 A.M.  
Subject: I'm home!

Oh man... I love visiting my dad, but I'm glad to be back in my own space, where I don't feel like I'm a teenager wanting to sneak around to see a boy! LOL

I'm sorry I didn't write again until now. We ended up having some people over last night (we were packed to the gills in my dad's small house!), including some of the guys from the station and their families, Charlie's girlfriend Sue and her kids, and even a couple of people I went to school with. Even poor Jake showed up...and he hasn't changed one bit. He flirted until I showed him one of the pictures of you decked out in full fatigues and stuff, posing with Em and Jazz, looking all hard and dangerous-like. He changed his tune pretty damn quick, said to tell you thank you for your service, and then promptly moved to flirt with Leah, Sue's daughter. It was hysterical.

Anyway, most ended up staying until almost eleven, and then the girls and I played cards with Charlie until after two. Then I had to drive home, so I didn't get a chance to email you on the drive back. *sigh* Like I said... It's good to be home! LOL

I think it's going to be an early night for me. Some soup I have in the freezer, a quiet movie (I'm thinking...How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, maybe?), and then early to bed. My dreams of you are calling me.

Have a good day, babe.

Bella

XOXO

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 5:51 P.M.**

I closed the lid on my laptop and set it on the coffee table, folding in on myself. I had just finished rereading the last handful of emails from Edward, now that I was home and could concentrate better.

My heart was so full that it felt like it wanted to explode. He had all but admitted he loved me...

"_I won't share you with prying eyes when we're making love, beautiful. Period. When I'm in love with someone, I don't want anyone else seeing her but me."_

I'd had to keep myself from blurting out that I loved him in my next email to him, but I hadn't. For one, it wasn't something I wanted to do over email. Skype or the phone would have to do since I certainly wasn't waiting until I could tell him in person. I wanted – _needed_ – him to know before then, whenever it happened. But I wanted to be able to say the words, for him to hear it in my voice and hopefully see it on my face, not just read it in a somewhat impersonal way like an email.

And then...his last email. I started shaking again as I thought back over his words.

"_Is it okay that I made you my emergency contact? I needed to change it. You're the only one I give a shit knowing if something happens to me. (And don't you dare freak out on me!) I just needed to make sure that you knew. Jasper and Emmett know, too, but I wanted to tell you. This is important, sweetheart, so if you aren't comfortable with it, I'll change it. Just...let me know."_

I knew how huge a deal the ICE was. Alice and Rose lived with that knowledge every day...and then there was the talk I'd had with my dad Sunday morning, when it was just the two of us awake.

_Passing the second cup of coffee over, I sat down across from my father at the small kitchen table, only half paying attention to my surroudings. So when he reached over and placed a hand on my arm, it startled me enough that my hand jumped, sloshing coffee over the rim of the cup._

_Handing me a napkin from the stack in the center of the table, Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Wanna tell me what's got you so preoccupied and jumpy?"_

_His eyebrow stayed high as I told him about Edward's post script in his latest email. "Bells, the change in his ICE is a big deal, you know that, right?"_

"_Ice?"_

_He nodded. "In case of emergency."_

Duh._ "Oh...yeah. I know, Dad." I smiled, but from Charlie's expression, I could tell it had come out more of a grimace._

_After looking at me for a long moment, he said calmly, "It's a huge responsibility, Isabella. A soldier doesn't do that on a whim, and he certainly doesn't make just any random acquaintance his main person of contact – especially not if he has a loved one at home."_

_I must have been quiet enough for long enough that he felt the need to speak again._

"_You need to be honest with him, Bells. If that isn't something you're prepared to deal with, tell him now, before—"_

"_No!" My response was immediate. "Sorry," I said sheepishly, lowering my voice. "I love him, Dad. I just wasn't sure..."_

"_If he loved you back?"_

_I nodded meekly, staring down at the milky liquid in the mug between my hands._

"_Isabella Swan, look at me." My father's voice was stern, no-nonsense, and he waited until I had raised my head and was looking him in the eye before he spoke again. "If that boy doesn't love you, I'll turn in my badge tomorrow. You need to tell him how you feel, Bella. Soon. He needs to know he's got someone in his corner. Trust me, sometimes it can mean the difference between life or death over there, knowing you have someone to come home to."_

_A single tear fell as I nodded, and I swiped it away before standing and moving to embrace my father, murmuring my thanks and showing him how much I loved him and admired him as best I could with that one hug._

I realized suddenly that Charlie had been right. The clues were all there. I couldn't wait to talk to Edward in something better than an email so I could tell him exactly how I felt...and if I broke down before then and told him in an email...well, it wasn't the end of world, I realized, grinning as I got up to pull out the broccoli cheese soup from the freezer.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: See? Bella caught Sarge's slip about love...and she knows how big a deal the emergency contact is. She is *thisclose* to spilling the beans about her feelings, whether she has to do it via email or not. We'll see how long she can hold off... ;)**

******By the way, thank you to Maplestyle for recommending us on the Fictionators site for their military request. We love that you love it enough to do that!**

******Now, leave poor emotional Bella some love, will ya? Then check out Sarge's response. :) *hugs to go with Deb's Mooches* – Jenny**


	40. Chapter 40: Edward

**A/N #1: **blushes** Your response to Sarge's little...ahem...dream yesterday was out-freaking-standing. Thank you. I promise, that's not the last of his overactive imagination, but we're on a long road, so let's get back to it. It seems Edward has taken a few days to answer, but he's back now...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Mon, May 17, 2010 at 10:23 P.M.  
Date Received: Mon, May 17, 2010 at 10:23 A.M.  
Subject: I know I'm late getting back to you...

Hey, sweetheart.

I'm sorry I'm late with my reply. We've been out overnight dealing with a situation in a village not far from base camp. One of our transport trucks was attacked en route here with some supplies. My squad was out searching for the insurgents that did this shit. Not only did we lose our supplies, but we lost 2 infantry men and a driver. Fuck! I'll be glad when I can get the hell out of here.

**sigh**

You have no idea just how much I needed all 3 emails from you, even if they were as simple as to tell me you'd put yourself on Edward-restrictions. I'll take all I can get at this point, because I know we've got to go back out tonight. In fact, this email won't be as long as usual, because I need to sleep for at least a few hours – even though I want nothing more than to immerse myself in your sweet words.

I promise that I'm not trying to kill you, beautiful. LOL However, I do think we'll slowly torture each other until we're finally face to face. But what a sweet pain it is... You're so sexy and open that it's hard to resist teasing you. And Isabella, if the panties are an issue...leave them off. I don't mind.

Puppies, kittens, goldfish... Hell, Bella, I don't care at this point. I can't wait to be able to truly think about those kinds of things. I'd buy you the world and hand it to you if I could. The very second I have you in my arms, I'll get you any damn thing you want.

My parents... They were college sweethearts and fiercely in love with each other. There wasn't much that they argued about, really. I think what I admired the most was their devotion to each other, which I guess included me, too. They knew each other so well, depended on each other. They were faithful, always, and would look at one another like no one else was there. It killed my father to watch my mom fade away because he couldn't fix it, and once she was gone, it was like he had nothing else holding him to this Earth. I knew he loved me, but she was his life...he couldn't help but follow her. Their love was what I admired most.

I'm glad you had a good time with your dad and the girls, but I'm also glad you're home safe. However, if this Jacob Black needs another reminder that you're uninterested, let me know, beautiful. I'll be happy to do more than just pose for a fucking picture. He's got a phone, right?

As much as I hate it, I have to go, love. I promise to email again as soon as I can. Try not to worry too much, okay?

Yours,  
Edward

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: **grins** Yeah, you all just caught that new term of endearment, didn't you? LOL Sarge is SO CLOSE to admitting how he feels, but circumstances are just...wrong. Bear with him.**

**For those of you that haven't joined us over on FB... Oh, you should. However, we suggest you leave...what did someone post yesterday?... Oh, yeah... leave the purity and modesty at the door. LMAO Ah, the forever "bumped" pic... sigh...**

**Ugh...now if this Tropical Storm Debby (so freaking fitting if you really know me...though, they spelled it wrong) doesn't wash my state away, we'll see you all tomorrow. Leave some love. I'll be building an ark. O_o Mooches, Deb. :)**


	41. Chapter 41: Bella

**A/N #1: So you guys are worried about Sarge, huh? I won't say whether or not you should be, but do remember this is a HEA. ;) It's really a fluffy story. So breathe a little easier as you read Bella's email to her man, ok?**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Mon, May 17, 2010 at 11:42 A.M.  
Date Received: Mon, May 17, 2010 at 11:42 P.M.  
Subject: What IS it with men?

I swear, it's like someone put something in the water here in Washington... First, it was Jacob Black. Then this morning? It was Mike Newton! He came swaggering into my classroom before school started, acting all smooth and suave (like I was really going to believe that now? Frankly, like I ever really did... LOL). He said he'd heard about me having to call DCFS and knew I would need a shoulder to lean on, so he'd be glad to lend me his "wide, strong shoulders" (his words, not mine) for anything I might need.

After stopping myself from laughing, I asked what Lauren would think of if she heard about it. He said he'd learned over the weekend that she had lied about being pregnant, so he was ready to take me back...now that he wasn't burdened down. *rolls eyes* I said no, thank you, my boyfriend had given me all the comfort I'd needed. He didn't believe that I really had a boyfriend, even after showing him the photos I had of you. I think his exact words were, "Come on, sugar. You know you miss me. No need to try to make me jealous." When I repeated my answer of no, thank you, he just winked and turned to leave, calling over his shoulder that he'd give me space now, but when I was ready to drop the whole "pretend boyfriend" story, let him know.

What the hell did I ever see in him, anyway?

Annnnnyway, enough about him. lol

I'm sorry to hear about the men who were killed, honey. I can't even imagine how rough that must be over there. I hope the ones who did it are found quickly and that no one else gets hurt or killed in the process. I'm glad you had my silly little emails to come back to. I would write you ten a day if it helped get you through the shit you have to deal with. If there's ever anything you want or need from me, you know you can always just tell me, right? Don't ever be afraid to ask.

I loved hearing that about your parents. I'm so happy they had each other for as long as they did, and it breaks my heart that their time with each other and with you was cut short. I know if they are looking down at you now, they have to be so damn proud of you and the man you've turned into.

Oh ho! You seem to like the idea of me going commando, Sarge. I wonder if I should try that the next time we Skype... If you like that idea, you might be interested to know that there have been many nights where I've foregone the T-shirt and panties to sleep in, choosing to sleep naked instead. I like the way the cool sheets feel against my skin, and I like how my body feels when the breeze comes in through the window or from the fan, blowing across my chest or between my legs, especially if I'm...flushed or overheated. ;)

I need to go. Lunch for the kiddos should be over soon, and I need to grab something to drink and prepare the math lesson for this afternoon. I hope you're getting some much needed sleep, babe. Please, please be safe while you're out later. Remember, I'm here waiting for you when you get out, so I need you to be careful until I get you here with me!

'Til next time... xoxo

Bella

P.S. Edward, just so you know... When you have me in your arms, I'll have everything I need. Puppies, kittens, goldfish... Sure, a pet would be great, but you? You're what I want in my arms every night.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: *sigh* Her P.S. just melted my heart as I wrote it. LOL And Mike... Mike! He's a douche, isn't he? haha**

**There she goes again, teasing poor Sarge about sleeping in the nude! Geez. lol**

**For those that wanted my enchilada recipe, there's a link in our profile since FFn is like Mike...  
**

**Now, leave us some love like you've been doing 'til now. We are truly amazed at the reponse and just love love love that you have fallen as hard for Sarge and his Bella as we did while writing them. :) – Jenny**


	42. Chapter 42: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh boy... If Sarge was possessive about a little flirting from Jacob, then what will he do about Mike's dumb ass? Hmm? There's only so much he can do...but let's see... ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 11:12 A.M.**

"Damn it," I groaned, pushing my laptop away from me and shaking my head. I took another bite of my lunch that I wasn't really tasting.

"Sarge, you all right?" Jasper asked, nudging my elbow with his own.

We were all fucking exhausted but pissed off that we couldn't find the assholes that had blown up our transport truck. It was like they'd disappeared off the face of the Earth. My theory was that they were hiding out in the mountains not far from the village. We had no choice but to find them because until they were stopped, we couldn't let anyone pass on the road. Without passage, there were no supplies.

I reread Bella's email again and shook my head. If she thought someone was putting something in the water, then she was delusional. My girl was fucking gorgeous, sexy, and full of life; she was bound to get hit on. I knew she didn't want this Mike guy back, simply from the way she'd laughed at him, the way that her sexy-as-hell temper had flared. What pissed me the fuck off was that he didn't believe her when she'd told him she was taken. The asshole cheated and lied...and _he_ doesn't believe _her_? What the fuck?

"Yo, Ed...you're bending your fork, dude," Emmett pointed out.

"Sarge?" Jasper said, taking the fork from me. "Spill. What the hell did Bella say? Is everything okay?"

"Her ex wants her back," I muttered, feeling like a jealous asshole, but dammit, there wasn't shit I could do about any of it when I was half a world away from her.

"Mike?" Emmett asked, grimacing when I nodded.

"What did Bella _say_?" Jasper asked again, glancing at my computer like he was about to see for himself.

"That he doesn't believe her that she has...a boyfriend," I grunted, trying to bend my fork back to its original position.

Emmett huffed, his face no longer that of the jovial guy he usually was. He pointed to my computer, saying, "We need that and the CO's office. Let's go."

My eyes shot up, and I turned to Jasper, who shrugged, but a slow smirk crept over his face.

Throwing our trash away, we walked back to the CO's office, dumping everything onto the desk. Emmett grabbed my computer, opened it up, and pulled up a website.

"Sarge, order something," he chuckled, gesturing to the screen where a flower delivery website was up. "If you do it now, then Bells will get them by the time she's going to lunch tomorrow...well, technically today...I mean, our today is her tomorrow... Fuck! You know what I mean!"

Jasper and I cracked the fuck up but watched as he pulled a small notebook from his back pocket and then picked up the phone, muttering, "Stupid little shit..." He waited as the phone rang, and even though we couldn't hear the other side of the call, my eyebrows shot up when he boomed, "Mike! It's Emmett...McCarty. You know, Rose's husband..." He paused, grinning like the evil bastard he could truly be. "No, man...she won't let me buy the gun from you, but thanks. Hey, listen... I need a favor, man. I know you still work with Bella..." He paused again, shook his head, his voice dropping low and threatening. "No, Mike...I'm _well aware_ of the fact that you aren't together, and I promise we'll talk _all about it_ when I get the fuck out of this desert, because she's like my little sister, but for now, I need a favor." He paused again, huffing in frustration. "Yes, I'm fucking calling you from overseas, dipshit. Now, listen. Bella's boyfriend, Edward, is going to send her something tomorrow, and I need to make sure that she stops by the school's office on her way to lunch. Got me?"

"Oh, that's fucking perfect," Jasper whispered, smacking my chest with the back of his hand. "Get to orderin', Sarge... Something pretty – but not roses. They're too...ordinary."

I closed my mouth that had fallen open at Emmett's not so subtle threat to Mike – hell, I didn't even think they knew each other – but I started looking at the screen. Scanning quickly through what seemed like a billion arrangements, I finally settled on something that looked so...Bella. It was simple, beautiful, and natural, but fun...just like she was. After filling out the message that I wanted attached, I paid for it and then nodded to Emmett, who was still enjoying scaring the shit out of Mike.

"Yo, Mike. I really just don't want to hear it," he grunted, rolling his eyes. "Now...make sure she gets her gift tomorrow, or I'll know all about it. And it won't be just me you'll have to answer to. Not only will I tell Bella's father about that Remington that isn't so...legal, but when we have our little chat about just what you did to Bells...I won't be alone. And I'm telling you, you won't like Eddie when he's pissed, man, so back off his girl." Emmett paused again, nodded once, and said, "Good." When he hung up, he muttered, "Pussy."

Jasper grinned, giving Em a fist bump. "Rose still won't let you have that gun, huh?"

"Hell, no," Emmett chuckled, already back to his happy self. "Feel better now, Sarge? It's as close to pissin' on a tree as we can get from here, but..." He laughed, shaking his head. "Trust me...I owe that flower website a huge kiss. Saved my ass from the doghouse more times than I can count..."

"Think he'll do it?" I asked, opening up an email to send my girl.

"He'll do it," Em chuckled. "You have no idea how badly Rosie wants ahold of him for that shit he pulled on Bells. She's only holding back because Bella isn't all that razzed over it. He'll do it because he's scared shitless of me."

"Thanks, Em," I said with a nod and a fist bump before they left me to my email.

"No problem," he said, waving me off. "You'd do the same for me... Now I need some sleep before we back out in a few hours..."

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Tues, May 18, 2010 at 11:43 A.M.  
Date Received: Mon, May 17, 2010 at 11:43 P.M.  
Subject: There's nothing in the damn water, Isabella...

Beautiful,

You probably have no idea, but you're extremely desirable. You're fucking gorgeous and sexy and all things that make men want you, myself included. Mike gave you the oldest line in the fucking book about being a shoulder to cry on, and that's because he knows he fucked up with you. It doesn't matter if he doesn't believe that you're taken...as long as YOU believe it. If he doesn't take your no seriously, then knee him in the balls. Believe me, I would if I could. He told you that you were trying to make him jealous because he IS jealous, baby. He lost the most amazing thing, and he knows it now. How did you put it? His loss, my gain. Don't let him get to you.

We're still looking for those insurgents. We'll be going back out in another few hours, so I need to get some sleep, but I just had to email you. Fuck, love, I miss your voice. I'd rather call you everyday, but it's just not possible. But I am being careful, I am being safe, because all I want is what you said...you in my arms every night. It's all I can focus on...getting to you. All I want is to wrap myself around you and never come up for air, Bella. I want to physically cling to the one thing that has made my life infinitely better.

You said to let you know if I needed anything... Well, all I need is for you to keep doing what you're doing. Every email, every phone call, and every package you send me keeps me from losing my mind. October is so far away, and that thought kills me.

I've got to go, sweetheart. I hate it, but I have to be alert for when we go out again. I guess you'll get this before bed, so sweet dreams, love. Dream of me...

Always yours,  
Edward

P.S. Commando? Isabella, trust me when I tell you that the only time I want you commando...is with me. Hell, when you're with me, I'm not sure I'll want you dressed at all, but if the case arises where we're in public, just knowing only I can touch you...unhindered, uninhibited...at any time will drive me mad. Fuck, I can't wait to feel you...

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: God, I love those boys! LOL Emmett kills me.**

**Okay, so I didn't float away. TSDebby is still spitting on me as I write these notes, but she's a harmless bitch now. But I wanted to thank everyone for their well wishes...and their ark supplies! :)**

**Your continued support of this fic still boggles my mind, but I have to say thank you over and over. Your reviews, your silly messages on FB and Twitter mean the world to me and Jenny. You really have no idea.**

**So to thank you...prepare yourself for a surprise tomorrow. Hmm? See you then. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	43. Chapter 43: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys for the continual love and support you show this story. It means the world. Now, let's see what Bella's response is to the flowers Sarge sent her, ok? See you at the bottom. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 11:28 A.M.**

"Okay, guys, settle down and line up. Miss Stephanie will take you down to the cafeteria for lunch," I called out to the kids, who seemed extra hyper today. Maybe it was because we only had just over a week left of school, but whatever the reason, they were wearing me out, and we were only halfway through the day.

Once they were all gone, I grabbed my bag and headed off to the teacher's lounge, where I could grab something from vending machines and check my email.

There were a few teachers in the room when I entered, and I said hello before making my way to one of the small tables at the back. I had just sat down with a bottle of water and small bags of honey roasted peanuts, Sun Chips, and – dessert – chocolate chunk granola bar, when Mike came waltzing in. _Great..._

"Hey, Bella," he said, giving me a grin. "You need to come with me."

Shocked – although not too shocked – at his audacity, I quirked an eyebrow and said eloquently, "Huh?"

"I'm supposed to escort you down to the office."

At my still-confused look, he rolled his eyes and huffed. "You have a delivery in the front office, and I was instructed to make sure you got there, so come on." Under his breath, he mumbled just barely loud enough that I could hear, "I'm not getting my ass kicked, so come on, dammit."

I wasn't sure what the hell that meant, so I just ignored it and stood, starting to gather my stuff.

"Just leave it," Mike said, pointing to one of the other third grade teachers. "Barb will watch it for you." He poured on the smarmy charm as he turned to her. "Right, Barb?"

She giggled – actually fucking giggled – and batted her eyelashes. "Yeah, sure, Mike." Waving a hand at me without taking her eyes off of Mike, she said, "Go on, Bella. I'll keep an eye on your stuff for you."

Rolling my eyes, I told her, "Thanks." I knew everything would be fine, but I gave one last look to the laptop, sad that my email from Edward that I was sure was waiting for me would have to continue waiting a few more minutes. "All right, Mike, let's go, then."

Surprisingly, Mike didn't try anything on the way to the office. In fact, he was polite, asking about how the kids were holding up during the last stretch of school before summer, and kept a respectful distance between us, not crowding my personal space. It was like he was a completely different guy than he had been the day before. I didn't know what had changed, but whatever it was, I was thankful for it. I could handle him if I had to, but it really wasn't something I wanted to have to deal with.

When we got to the office, Mike stuck his hands in his pockets, looking nervous for the first time since I'd met him. "Listen, Bella..." He huffed a laugh and shook his head. "Tell Emmett I said hey and that I did what I was supposed to do. Good luck with the new guy."

Comprehension dawned as he turned and headed back down the hall. Somehow, some way, my boys had gotten to him. I'd have laughed, except it was the sweetest thing they'd ever done for me. Emmett and Jasper...and now Edward...were such great guys. Even from halfway across the world, they had my back.

I watched Mike flirting with one of the secretaries who was headed back in this direction and shook my head. I doubted he would ever change. Then I turned back and made my way into the office, feeling my jaw drop as I saw the bouquet sitting in a gorgeous blue glass vase on the front counter. Somehow, I knew without a doubt they were for me. The blue vase and blue flowers? Yeah, they were totally from Edward.

"Ah, Bella!" Mrs. Cope said as she walked to the counter. "You, young lady, have some admirer... These came for you this morning with instructions to wait and that you would come down at lunch to pick them up."

Grinning, I pulled the flowers closer and leaned in to smell them once before pulling away. "Yes, ma'am, I do."

"Go on, child," she said. "No need to wait. There's a card."

Immediately, I turned the flowers so the card came into view. Plucking it from the holder, I pulled it out, trailing my fingers lightly over the soft, white petals of one of the lilies.

_Bella,_

_What we have, what we've created is just ours. It doesn't matter what people think, only what we feel. You mean more to me than I can say. I'm not that brave, but since you've come into my life, I've finally found everything I've ever needed._

_One day, I'll hand you flowers, but for now, this will have to do._

_Always yours,  
Edward_

With watery eyes, I thanked Mrs. Cope, picked up the flowers, and rushed back to the lounge, all thoughts of lunch gone. All I wanted was to read his latest email and send him something back.

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Tues, May 18, 2010 at 11:35 A.M.  
Date Received: Tues, May 18, 2010 at 11:35 P.M.  
Subject: Oh Sarge...

Thank you so much for the flowers, babe. They were totally unexpected, but absolutely, completely appreciated. They are gorgeous, Edward, really. I cried when I read the sweet card. They will look beautiful on my desk until I go home later and then on my dresser, so they can be the last thing I look at before I go to sleep and first thing when I wake up every morning. (Don't think I didn't see all the blue... ;) Maybe sometime soon, you can see some of the _other_ blue I teased about before, hmm?)

*laugh* Don't tempt me about kneeing Mike in the balls, honey. Although...whatever Emmett said to him must have worked, because he was so damn polite and...non-Mikey as he walked me to the office, it was funny.

I want to hear your voice again soon, too, Sarge. I can still hear it from our last conversation – that warm honey, Midwestern accent... It's the best damn sound in the world to me now, and I make no apologies for that. As for wrapping yourself around me and never coming up for air? That sounds just about damn perfect to me, babe. We'll get through the next four and a half months and make that a reality, ok?

You are in my thoughts and dreams every moment of every day and night, Edward. Always remember that.

Bella

P.S. Damn you for the wet panties...again! It's a good thing I thought to bring an extra pair, just in case!

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Eesh, Sarge's note was so swoony! And Mike's reaction was priceless, no? LOL**

**Now, before I send you to Sarge himself, I'll let you in on the surprise we've been teasing about... Today, you get not two, but FOUR chapters. If we left off at the end of the next chapter, we have a feeling you guys would kill us. So...yeah. The next three chapters are big ones in terms of plot, so our author's notes won't be long on the next two. But each chapter is important, so please please let us know your thoughts on each chapter before moving on. We want to hear from you before you read more. ;)**

**Love you guys so much. Thank you for seriously being the best readers on the planet. – Jenny**


	44. Chapter 44: Edward

**A/N #1: Ha...Mike's an idiot. Just sayin'. XD**

**Okay, you know what...I'm just going to set this chapter down here and let you get to it. But know that at least today's post doesn't end here. You have to extra chapters to go. Okay?**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:13 A.M.  
Date Received: Tues, May 18, 2010 at 12:13 P.M.  
Subject: You've given me so much, Bella...

Beautiful,

The flowers are just a fraction of what I wish I could give you, but I just had to send you something in return. It hardly makes up for all the cookies, comfort, and smiles you've sent my way, but I wanted you to know that it wasn't unappreciated. It means so much...

Sweetheart, I'll be out of contact for most of the next day. We're going to set a trap out on the road to catch these assholes. We think they're after our supplies. I'm not sure my CO is going to let us come back in until we've caught the bastards. LOL And do you need me to say it, love? Yes, I'll be careful. I swear!

You may knee Mike in the balls any time you feel you need to. You have my permission to do so. Even more, I think you have Emmett's total blessing and support. **laugh** And I'm not quite sure that Mike is off the hook with Em, either, despite the fact that he did what was asked of him...

Four and a half months sounds like forever, doesn't it? :( My beautiful girl, I have to go. We're loading up soon. I promise we'll talk or Skype soon, and I'll email as soon as I get back.

Thinking of you,  
Edward

P.S. This panty situation is getting out of hand, Isabella. If I were there, I'd take them from you...and you wouldn't get them back. You wouldn't need them.

~oooOOOooo~

**Afghanistan... Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 3:56 P.M.**

"Breathe for me, Sarge," someone said to me, but it felt like Emmett was sitting on my chest. I felt a hand smack at my face. "Look at me, son," Lieutenant Stephens commanded. "Take a breath."

Everything had gone from yelling orders and getting into position to explosions and pain. In fact, I wasn't even sure the shit had settled down yet.

I gasped as best I could, feeling like I was coughing up smoke, dust, and both lungs. Clawing at my Kevlar vest and ripping the velcro open, I finally took a deeper, testing breath. "Did we get them?" I rasped.

"Yeah, Sarge, you got them," Stephens chuckled, squeezing my shoulder. "Relax. Just breathe. You'll be fine. You just got the wind knocked out of you, that's all. We'll get those ribs checked ASAP, okay?"

I nodded, breathing a little easier now that I knew we'd eradicated the enemy and my vest was being removed.

"Sarge!" Jasper called, landing next to me. "What the hell happened?"

"The bastards took the bait," Stephens answered. "Shot an RPG at our truck. They missed, hitting that abandoned car over there, but a piece of the fender caught Masen in the chest." Stephens stood up. "Get that truck over here! Set up a checkpoint for the next two days. No vehicle goes through without us knowing about it, but traffic can start again. And someone help get Wells and Masen into the truck!"

"Fuck, Lieutenant, I can walk," I groaned, sitting up with the help of Jasper. "No blood, no foul," I snorted wryly, rolling my eyes up at Stephens.

Outside, I was calm, but inside, I was fucking shaking. That had been a motherfucking close call. My chest felt like shit, but my vest had saved my damn life. Jasper took my weapon but let me make my way to the truck on my own.

"What happened to Wells?" I asked him as he pushed my ass into the back.

Jasper looked past me to Emmett. "Wells got the worst of that RPG bast, Sarge," he said softly. "He'll be okay, but the blast hit him mostly in the leg. He's bleeding, and it looks like the thing's broken, but zero casualties, sir."

Emmett shook his head. "Damn, Ed... Had you not hit the deck like you did, you'd have lost your head!" he gasped, falling down next to me.

"Jesus," I groaned, rubbing my chest. It was sore as fucking hell.

"Shut up, Emmett!" Jasper snapped.

I didn't say a fucking word the whole way back to the base. I made sure Wells was taken care of before I'd let them even touch me, but when they did, the doc assured me that I was just bruised – nothing broken, not even a hairline fracture. Wells, on the other hand, was laid up in the bed a few down from me. He'd thanked me, for fuck's sake, because had I not told him to get down when I had, he wouldn't have a broken leg, he would've lost his life to the major part of the blast.

One of these fucking days, it wouldn't be a close call; it would be the end. Someone wouldn't miss, and I would never get to see the beautiful girl that I now lived for. I couldn't do that to her, but I couldn't let her go, either. I felt like a selfish asshole because it was all I could to not to call her.

I was sitting on a gurney when Jasper and Emmett popped up in front of me. Jasper was holding my laptop, which I'd left in my footlocker before heading out earlier this morning.

"Come on, Sarge," Emmett said, jerking his chin toward the door and helping me gingerly step down to the floor. "Doc says you're cleared. You're gonna call your girl."

"No, this'll scare the shit out of her," I argued, glancing up at the clock. "And it's the middle of the fucking night there!"

"We know all of those things, Edward," Jasper chuckled softly, leading me outside and over to the CO's office. "That's why I had Ali go over there. She's waiting for you to Skype her."

I shook my head, changing the subject for a moment. "How'd you get that?" I asked as he set the laptop down on the desk while I gingerly sat my ass down in front of it.

"I got skills, man." Emmett smirked. "Too many times picking the lock on my dad's liquor cabinet when I was in high school." His expression turned serious, and he pointed to the computer. "Now, call her."

"I don't want to scare her," I countered. "Too many of these, and she won't want to deal with this shit from me."

"Yes, but you need to talk to her. _You_ are the scared one, Ed," Jasper urged, pushing my computer closer to me. "You need her. Bells is stronger than you think. Call her. When I got hurt a few months ago, all I wanted was to talk to Alice. Just call."

Trying to get as comfortable as I could in that fucking chair, I logged onto Skype. Bracing myself, I found her name and connected to the video chat.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: There's not much you're going to pay attention to here, so just remember to keep the faith, got me? Just click next. LOL Go on. I totally understand. ;)**

**Mooches, Deb**


	45. Chapter 45: Bella

**A/N #1: Eek! I know, I know. Sarge is hurt. Let's see how Bella's going to handle the news.**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 4:52 A.M.**

"_She's so cute," I said, watching the kitten crawling around on Edward's belly as he lay on the floor of the living room. She kept tripping over her own paws and nearly sliding off of him, and every time, Edward would wince._

"_Yeah, but her claws are vicious," he said when he once more had to pull her back up._

_I was lost, watching the adorable cuteness of my man and our new pet when I realized he was calling my name._

"Bella?"

_I tried to focus, but I couldn't seem to respond to him._

"Bella, wake up."

When he reached up and touched my arm, calling my name again, I jerked, realizing I'd been asleep and dreaming, and the voice hadn't been Edward's, but Alice's.

"Fuck, Alice!" I gasped, rubbing my hand over my face before realization set in that she had to be over in the middle of the fucking night for some specific reason – and nothing I could come up with in my head was good. I shot up, reaching over to switch on the light, glancing at the clock. "What is it? What happened?"

Alice looked as tired as I felt, and her eyes were red, like she'd been crying.

"Oh, God... Jasper?"

She shook her head, finally finding her voice again. "First, Bella, stay calm, okay? Just know that he's okay."

_Stay calm... He's okay..._

I scrambled out of bed, backing away as I shook my head. "No, no, no!" I growled, my back hitting the wall.

I was still shaking my head when she knelt down in front of me, taking my hands in hers.

"He's okay, sweetie. Edward's okay. He got hit in the vest, but he's okay," she repeated, squeezing my hands tightly and keeping my attention on her.

As she told me how they had found the insurgents they'd been searching for, how Edward had been in the vicinity of the explosion that had almost taken out one of his men, tears started pouring down my cheeks. She explained that he'd gotten the wind knocked out of him and some bumps and bruises, but he was fine. He hadn't wanted to call, because he hadn't wanted me to worry, but Jasper had said he needed me, so he was going to Skype.

"Oh, God, I think I'm going to be sick," I said, gagging as I swallowed back the bile that rose in my throat.

Alice moved out of my way and then followed as I jumped up and raced to the toilet, proceeding to throw up what little I had in my stomach. I retched until all I had left to give were dry heaves. Being the good friend that she is, Alice held my hair back out of my face, and when I was done, she handed me a washcloth that she wet in the bathroom sink.

"Here, B, wipe your face, and then brush your teeth. I'm going to go make you some tea, okay?" she offered. "You have about fifteen minutes before Jasper said he was going to have Edward call."

I nodded, letting her know I'd heard, and then began wiping my face with the damp terrycloth.

After a couple of minutes alone, I stood and grabbed one of the disposable cups from beside the sink, using it to rinse my mouth out first. The leftover bile in my mouth nearly made me gag, so before I even picked up my toothbrush, I swigged some mouthwash, and then quickly brushed my teeth, feeling much less gross. By the time I made it out to the living room, I was much more calm and under control, although my shaking, which had started the moment I'd realized it was Alice that had woken me, hadn't abated.

Alice had set up the laptop on the coffee table in front of the couch, alongside a mug that was still steaming. "Come on, Bella. Drink some tea. You need to calm down as much as you can, because you don't want Edward to see you that upset, trust me."

"H-He's really okay?" I asked, my voice a little scratchy from the awful retching.

She nodded. "Jasper swore he was. The medical team cleared him. No broken bones or anything worse than a few scrapes and bruises. He looks and feels worse than it truly is. Remember when Jasper got the concussion when the Humvee rolled? Remember how awful he looked, cause he'd hit his head, so he had a black eye and his face was all scraped up?"

"Yeah," I answered, sipping the tea carefully.

"He was fine, though. He looked scary, like he was hurt really bad, but he wasn't. He was just fine a couple of days later. It's like that with Edward. So just be prepared, and be strong for him, okay? If you need to break down, you can cry on my shoulder after. It's okay to cry – he will worry if you don't show any emotion, right? – but don't freak out simply because he looks bad." At my nod, she said, "I'm going to go see what I can gather together for breakfast. Rose is coming over, too, so I'm going to make enough for all of us."

"Ali, I don't think I can handle eat—"

"You can, and you will," she said sternly, interrupting me. Her tone much softer now, she continued, "Listen, sweetie, if you're in this with Edward, then this is something you have to learn how to handle. You need to eat to keep up your strength. Getting sick won't help you handle the worry and stress. And Bella?"

"Yeah?" I looked up at her to see a sweet frown on her face.

"If you don't think you can handle this, you need to tell him now. It's not fair to either of you to drag it out."

"No!" I gasped, shaking my head. "I love him, Alice. Period. I'm in this for as long as he'll have me."

One corner of her mouth quirked up and she nodded, glancing up at the clock. "Good. Now, drink your tea. Your man should be calling—"

She was cut off by the alert from Skype saying I had an incoming video call.

With shaky fingers, I reached out to click _Accept_.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: This is possibly one of my favorite chapters of the whole story to write. I know you're anxious to get on with it, so please, leave me a note to let me know what you thought of Bella's reaction, if you thought it was natural, and then head on to read the start of their second Skype call. :) – Jenny**


	46. Chapter 46: Edward

**A/N #1: Again, I'm not sure you're paying me any never mind, so go on, I'll talk at the bottom of this chapter. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 5:20 P.M.**

I rubbed my chest while I waited for the call to connect. The docs had stripped me down to my T-shirt and fatigues, given me something for the pain, and taken me off duty for a few days. Fuck, if that shit wasn't tender!

The call connected, and I swear to God, I'd never seen a more beautiful or sad sight in all my life. Despite her red, puffy eyes and what looked like new tears forming, Bella was just...perfect. Her eyes met mine, and all my pain faded into the background because hers was more important. She was trying so damn hard to hold back her tears.

"Hey, sweetheart," I sighed, sitting forward a bit. "I'm sorry they woke you..."

"Just...tell me you're okay, Edward," she interrupted me as a tear slid slowly down her cheek. "That's all I'm asking."

"Oh, baby, please don't cry. I'm fine. I promise," I vowed, rubbing my face. "I'm just a little banged up, that's all."

"Show me," she ordered, frowning at me, and she was still fucking beautiful, all angry and worried and commanding. "Now, Sarge!"

"Show you?" I verified, cracking a smile. "Bella, this isn't that kind of call."

"Edward Masen, if you don't show me that you're okay, I swear to..." She huffed in her anger, though I could still see her worry. "Now isn't the time for you to play sexy and cute. Show. Me."

"'Kay," I sighed, groaning and wincing when I pulled my shirt up.

I knew for a fact that shit looked worse than it felt, though it felt like utter hell. A long, black and blue – with a little red thrown in for good measure – swipe of a bruise was slashed across my chest. One or two of my upper ribs looked swollen and broken, but they weren't; they'd just taken the brunt of it all.

"What happened?" she whispered, a whole new flock of tears coursing down her face as her eyes watched my hands lower my shirt.

"What did Alice tell you, love?" I countered, sitting forward again.

"I'd rather hear it from you."

"Okay," I conceded, so I told her what had happened, including the part about Wells. "It was so fucking close, Bella," I whispered, shaking my head, barely looking at her, and suddenly everything that had scared me came rushing out of me in one breath. "All I fucking want is to get to you. That's it! That's all. And it seems like all the fucking odds are stacked against me. What if... I mean... _What if?_ I've still got four and a half months of this shit!"

A sob erupted from the computer, and I suddenly felt like an asshole.

"Baby, please, _please_, don't cry. I'm sorry," I begged, wanting to grab her, but I had to settle for the sides of the fucking desk. "I didn't mean it. I'm just so scared... I'm gonna fuck this up, I just know it."

"Edward," she cried, shaking her head slowly. The tears were a steady stream now, and I'd have given anything in order to be able to wipe them away since it was my fault they were there in the first place. "You're not going to fuck up," she breathed, though she wasn't looking at me. She was looking at her hands. "You can't do that. You just _can't_," she rambled. I was afraid she was in shock. It was like she wasn't even talking to me. "You have to stay safe, baby. Please. I love you...and nothing can happen to you. I can't lose you."

I sat really still, my eyes watching her face. I wasn't even sure she was aware that she'd said it. My heart exploded in my chest, which actually kind of fucking hurt against my sore-ass ribs, but now I had to calm her down because she needed to know she wasn't alone.

"Bella, love...look at me. Look at the computer," I told her in as calm a voice as I could muster, my hands squeezing into fists, because goddamn it, I wanted to touch her! Sweet, worried brown gazed up at me, and I took a deep breath and let it out, just to try to calm my heart. "I'm sorry that I scared you. I'm sorry we're both freaking out." I smiled, tilting my head at her. "Take a breath and let it out for me, sweetheart."

She did as I asked, swiping at her tears with the back of her hand. "You're okay?" she asked again, her voice rough but still so beautiful.

I chuckled, nodding slowly, because she was just too sweet and cute for words. "Yes. I promise. I let my guard down for a split second..."

"Well, don't do that again," she ordered, frowning at me again. "I mean it, babe. Please?"

Instead of answering her question, I countered it with a few of my own. "We can do this, right? We can make it through? We can tough it through hell in order to get to heaven, right?"

Finally, she cracked a smile, a sweet little giggle escaping her. "Yeah, but..." Her hands curled into claws in front of the screen, like she was trying to reach through the computer. "You have to be so careful, Edward. I'm sorry I'm not handling this well...you're my first high-risk boyfriend."

I laughed, shaking my head at her, because she'd found her sense of humor again. "You were perfect, beautiful. In fact, I expected you to run for the hills at this point."

"No, I can't," she sighed, smiling a sweet smile as she rested her chin on her hands. "You're stuck with me, Sarge."

"Yeah, I see that," I snickered, rubbing my chest a bit, but my smile faded as I just stared at her.

Despite both of us losing it, she was still there. She'd been there since the beginning, shown me that I wasn't alone, and she wasn't going anywhere.

"God, you're so fucking beautiful, Bella," I sighed, finally just surrendering to whatever this was that had happened between us. I couldn't fight it any longer. "And I love you, too."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: **plugs ears to squealing** :D Bella saying her ILY was as natural as breathing. I loved that. And Sarge was right there with her. He'd been telling her for a while now anyway.**

**First of all, the way that this fell, we couldn't bear to just give you two chapters, especially when Sarge was injured. And second, this was such an important step in this story. A huge turning point, if you will. Personally, I see this fic in stages, and we've passed two of them already. There are about 4 to 5 more...in just my own opinion.**

**That being said, I know...I KNOW that you're ready for a face to face with these two, but I'm begging for you to trust us. For you, it seems like it's been a long time, but if you really look at all the timestamps on every email and every Skype session, you'll see that they communicate almost daily. If I swear to you it's worth the wait, would you believe me? Us? Because it truly is. :)**

**Okay, I'm sorry if Sarge's accident scared you, but that's about as angsty as this story gets. **shrugs** Yup, tis true. :) I know you've got celebrating to do now that the three most important words have been said, so we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	47. Chapter 47: Bella

**A/N #1: I'm so glad you guys aren't throwing rotten tomatoes at us! ;) Sarge is ok, and he'll remain ok, we promise. This isn't an angsty story. Like Deb mentioned at the end of the last chapter, that was as non-fluffy as it gets. :) Thank you for all the love! You guys are amazing. Now, let's see what Bella's response is to hearing that Sarge loves her...**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 5:45 A.M.**

"_God, you're so fucking beautiful, Bella," he sighed, "and I love you, too."_

I froze, unsure I'd heard him right. When I blinked and really looked at him, I couldn't deny it. The same love I felt for this amazing man, who was risking his life for our country, was clear as day in his eyes as he watched me. He looked beaten, bruised, like he'd been through hell, and a little nervous, but the love was simply pouring out of him.

Laughing, I swiped at my tears, dragging my sleeve across my nose, trying to clean my face as best I could. "Yeah?"

His grin suddenly lit up the screen as he nodded. "Yeah, sweetheart. I fell in love with you somewhere between all your celebrity crushes and your anger with Tanya on my behalf, but after our first Skype call...I was just done. You owned me, and I'm not sure even I knew it yet."

I was nodding even before he finished speaking. "I know, Edward. I think for me, it was right around when you admitted your biggest fear that I started feeling just..._more_. I admitted it to myself when we Skyped, and then when you went to Kandahar at the end of April... Yeah, babe, that was it."

I saw him wince when he shifted to change positions, and I knew he needed to relax and let whatever pain meds the doctors had given him kick in.

"Sarge, why don't you go lie down? We can talk again when you've gotten some rest, okay?"

"No, Bella," he argued. "I'm all right." But the wince he gave when he raised his hand to run it across his head told me different.

"Oh, baby..." I frowned feeling my eyes water again. "Please, for me, go get some rest. The docs gave you some pain meds, right?" At his reluctant nod, I smiled sadly. "Then take 'em so you'll feel better. We can talk again when you're not feeling like you've been run over by a truck."

"But—"

"No buts, Edward Masen," I said firmly. "I love you, Edward. You have to rest so you feel better, and then we can talk. Okay?"

He finally nodded. "Email me?" he asked hopefully.

I laughed, holding back my tears. "You'll have one when you get up, babe."

"'Kay. I love you, Isabella Swan." His deep green eyes stared into mine through the computer, so serious and full of love that it stole my breath.

"God, Edward, I love you, too. Talk to you soon?"

He nodded, and then, wincing, he leaned up, pressed something on the keyboard, and the screen went black.

I clicked out of Skype and was immediately pulled up and into two sets of arms as my girls made a protective sandwich around me. Somehow, Rose had sneaked into the house while I was talking to Edward.

I felt the tears well up once more, and this time, I didn't bother holding them in. For several long minutes, they simply let me cry, not saying anything but low murmurs of support that I couldn't understand but appreciated nonetheless.

Finally, I pulled away, swiping at my now sore and puffy eyes. "You guys are the best. I knew it's been hard for you all these years, but I don't know if I appreciated just how much until now."

Rose smiled sadly. "I'd love to say it gets easier, Bella, but in reality, it doesn't. I wake up scared every day that something is going to happen to Emmett. I just have to keep saying my prayers and believing that he'll come home safe and sound."

"Yeah," Alice agreed quietly. "And we have each other. You need to know that you can lean on us. When you're feeling worried – or scared shitless – just tell us. You know we've been in your shoes. We live with that same fear every day. I couldn't do this – couldn't handle Jasper being over there – without you and Rose."

I sniffled and nodded. "Thanks for earlier, Ali...for coming to tell me and for helping when I..." I gestured to the bathroom, thinking of how I'd thrown up for what felt like hours.

"That's what friends are for, sweetie. Now," she said, grinning, "are you hungry? Rose brought coffee, and I made pancakes and bacon."

My stomach growled at the thought of the crispy, greasy bacon, making us all laugh. "Ya know, I think I am."

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, May 19, 2010 at 7:14 A.M.  
Date Received: Wed, May 19, 2010 at 7:14 P.M.  
Subject: You'd better be getting some rest, Sergeant Masen...

Hi, babe.

Here's the email I promised. I am just about to get ready for school, but before I jump in the shower, I wanted to tell you that it was so good to see your face and hear your voice. Of course, I wish it had been under better circumstances, but I'm not going to be upset that we got to talk...and that I finally got to tell you that I love you. Hearing those words from your lips, though... God, there was nothing better.

I'd tell Emmett and Jasper to smother you in kisses for me, but knowing Emmett, I'm afraid he'd actually do it! So consider yourself smooched to pieces, ok?

In answer to your last email, yeah, Sarge, four and a half months feels like an eternity. But we'll get through it. I know we will... Really, there's no other option. None. We'll get through it, and then I'll finally see you in person, be able to touch you like I want to so badly right now. I'll be able to go to sleep in your arms and wake up to find you still there. When I want to kiss you and touch you, I'll be able to because you'll be there. So see, Edward? We'll get through it because when we do, that's what is waiting on the other end of all this.

I love you so damn much. Email when you feel up to it... I'll be waiting.

Love,  
Bella

P.S. Have you thought about what your plans are come October? Are you planning to re-up? Did you want to move back to Chicago? I talked about what would happen when we finally see each other in person, but I just realized I don't know what you want, really. *bites lip nervously*

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I know you all wish the Skype call had been longer, but poor Sarge was hurting. He needed to lie down. Don't worry... They'll Skype/call again soon. :)**

**Finally, it seems like they are going to talk some serious stuff about the future. That was hard to do until they admitted their feelings to one another. But Bella brought it up, so leave her (& me. ;) ) some love, and then go check out Sarge's response. *hugs to everyone* – Jenny**


	48. Chapter 48: Edward

**A/N #1: Your reaction to the magic three words was astounding! :) I want to hug you all, so consider yourself squeezed. Hell, I know some of you needed a hug after Sarge was hurt. I understand. Bella asked some pretty important questions, so let's see what he has to say about them...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Thur, May 20, 2010 at 4:23 A.M.  
Date Received: Wed, May 19, 2010 at 4:23 P.M.  
Subject: I think a unicorn ran through the barracks...

My beautiful girl,

These pain meds are strong. Like...sweet dreams that make no sense, but you don't want them to end kind of strong. O_o You'll be happy to know that you were in all of them. I didn't know you knew how to swing on a trapeze. I'm sure you can't. **snort** My brain cells will never be the same, I'm sure of it. At least I can think more clearly this morning.

You'll also be happy to know that I've been removed from duty for the next few days – at least for the rest of the weekend. The docs told me two days, but my CO, Stephens, said to take a few more. I'm to rest, only do necessary things, and report back on Monday.

I can't apologize enough for scaring you, love. I think I was scared more for what would happen to you than what actually happened. I never want us to end, Bella. At all. And one mistake could do that. All I could think of between that initial hit and hitting the button to call you was that this was the reality of our situation and it would blatantly show you exactly what I'd been trying to tell you from the start...that I couldn't make you promises. I can try to be safe, try to make smart decisions out in the field, but I can't account for others. Insurgents, fellow squad members, or even a civilian could make a choice that affects me, affects my life.

There was a part of me that was sure that you wouldn't want to deal with this, that you'd end our call, but you didn't. Fuck, baby, you're so strong...stronger than you give yourself credit for. It's okay that you freaked out, because with that freak out came the most beautiful words from you.

Bella, I don't think you understand how much I've fallen in love with you. It's beyond anything I've ever felt. Aside from my parents, I don't think I've ever meant it as much as when I said those words to you. You're so beautiful, but you're wholly beautiful – inside and out. I'm absolutely certain that I fell in love with your spirit before I saw that angelic face. You're everything I need to get through these next few months, and we _can_ do this.

You asked about my plans for when October comes, and up until you flew into my life, I honestly had no answer. I would've probably told you that I would have re-upped, put in for something stateside, and continued on with my military career. I have no home, sweetheart. I'm not telling you that to make you feel sorry for me, but when my parents died, I pulled up roots. Period. Nothing Tanya said, nothing her parents said, or even anything my lawyer advised made a difference. I had no plans to go back. I couldn't keep the house I grew up in because there were too many memories – good ones – and I wanted to keep them that way. Coming back to that house without my parents living there anymore would've ruined it.

Now...things have completely changed. I have you. You are home to me. And despite the fact that I've never even visited Washington, it's the only place I can think to go. When I think of home, it's your gorgeous face that I see. Em and Jazz have repeatedly told me that they, you, and the girls are my family now. That when we're done here, that's where they're taking me. There is no choice in the matter.

I want to build a life with you, whatever that entails. I have to figure out what to do as a career, but I _will_ take care of you. Everything that my parents left behind is now mine. Money isn't an issue, and I have plans on spoiling you like crazy – in every definition of the word. And I don't mean that in some sort of controlling way, Bella. I mean that I want to figure us out together. We can live together or not, we can get as many kittens as you want, or we can take us slow. I don't care. As long as I have you, I'll be a happy man.

I want to spoil you with gifts, devotion, time... I want to see your classroom, where you live, where you sleep. Definitely where you sleep, my love. My heart, body, and soul belong to you. I wasn't kidding you when we Skyped. You own me. I want to feel your body wrapped around mine, make you call my name as I move inside you, and leave you so sated that you can still feel me at the end of the day. I want to whisper that I love you over every inch of your skin.

_You are my life now._

Does that answer your question that you were so nervous about asking? Hmm? DON'T be afraid to ask anything of me. Ever.

Em and Jazz are telling me to take my meds now. Apparently, I've been wincing too much. If that's the case, then I need to end this, because there's no telling what I'll say. LOL

Email when you can, and remember that I love you and I'm okay. I promise.

Yours always,  
Edward

P.S. I'll take the e-smooches, love, but I'm NOT telling Emmett to do it. Not only would he actually kiss me, but he'd record it and send it to you. Umm...just no. LOL

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Damn, did he lay it all out on the line, or what? LOL There's a comfort in knowing that someone loves you right back. And our boy is laid up in bed for the next few days, but at least he's okay, right?**

**Again, I need to thank all of you for the love you've shown this story. It's amazing. And I'm very happy that you guys liked the 4 chapters all at once. We'll do it again soon. Promise. :)**

**Okay, so we'll see you all again tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	49. Chapter 49: Bella

**A/N #1: You guys... Gah, you just kill us! Thank you once again for all the love. *sigh* Things are definitely ramping up and getting serious now after their ILYs. :) So let's see how Bella responds to Edward's drugged, sweet rambling. ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, May 19, 2010 at 5:47 P.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, May 20, 2010 at 5:47 A.M.  
Subject: What? You didn't know I was secretly a circus performer? ;)

Aww, sweetie, I hope the meds have kicked in by now! Drugged dreams are always fun, aren't they? I had some pain pills when I broke my ankle a few years ago, and man, they made me loopy!

I'm glad to hear your CO told you to take a few extra days off. You need to be feeling completely better before you go back out in the field so you're at a hundred percent. No, you can't control the actions of others, but being at top performance yourself will help, so take the time and let your body heal. You hear me, Sarge?

Edward, I'm not going anywhere. Yes, I was scared out of my mind, but never once did I doubt that my place is beside you, supporting you, even from thousands of miles away. If you can be strong enough to fight in Afghanistan, I can be strong enough to sit here in my comfortable little house, with almost everything I could ever want, and love you. So just put that fear that I'm going to run kicking and screaming out of your head. I'm. Not. Going. Anywhere. And come October? I'll be right there, waiting. Jazz and Em are right. We are your family now. I am your future, and you are mine, so get used to it, Masen. ;)

I totally understand not being able to keep your parents' house. I don't know how big it is or how much space I have right now, but somehow, some way, when you get out here, we're going to get that piano from storage and find someplace to put it here with us. I want you to have that connection to your mom, to your past, and the good memories that come with it. I want to sit beside you when you play, and I want to listen as you come up with new melodies. So that piano is coming here, no doubt about it.

Today was a good day for the kids. They are all just positively itching to get out of school, so they are hyper as fuck. We have a countdown calendar, so they've each been getting a turn in taking away a number. Today was Christopher's day, and I just have to say that he looks better than I've seen him in a while. He's still shy, quiet, but he had more smiles today than he's had in months. He brought his own lunch today, too, and there was so much food, he had leftovers, which he never had before. I can tell Kathy and Jim are doing wonders for him. It makes my heart feel close to bursting at how much better he's doing, and it's only been a few days. Kids are resilient creatures. They continually amaze me.

Ok, let's see... 20 Questions time. (Honestly, I have no idea how far in we are...but 10 questions, 20 questions...30? It doesn't matter. I want to know everything about you, because every little thing I learn makes me love you that much more.)

I have two today. One...what is your guilty pleasure? Be it food, music, movie, whatever. What are you almost ashamed to admit you like? *laugh* For me...oh damn, don't think any less of me, but for me it's the Real Housewives of...well, anywhere. I can't help but love the stupid drama of those shows. They make my life seem calm and peaceful and so very normal. LOL

Ok, so...two... Do you see yourself married? Kids? Growing up, with my parents as an example, I was sure that marriage wasn't for me. I also never felt the need to be a mother. Becoming a teacher made me think that maybe I could have kids, because the joy of seeing them grow, learn...it's amazing. And...until you...I still wasn't sure about the other. Now? I can't imagine my life without you in it. Does that mean marriage? I don't know. I find my view on that maybe changing, too. Hearing your obvious love as you talk about your parents and their marriage gives me hope that not every marriage will end up like my parents'.

My stomach is trying to crawl out of my body in search of food. I didn't eat much at lunch, so I'm going to go see what I have in the freezer that I can heat up in the oven. I think I have some meatballs and sauce, so I may throw some water on to boil and have spaghetti.

I love you, Edward. (Fuck, it feels good to say that...)

Bella

P.S. The girls and I are getting together this weekend to take some pictures for you and the boys. Although...just so you know now...the ones of me will be for your eyes only. I think I told you I have blue of...in all aspects of my wardrobe...right? I think it's high time you see what I mean. ;)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Wow... An update on Christopher, some serious questions about the future, flirting and talk of sexy pictures in lacy things, and another "I love you." This chapter made ME happy anyway. ;)**

**Leave Bella & me some love and then go see how Edward is recuperating, why don'tcha? *grin* – Jenny**


	50. Chapter 50: Edward

**A/N #1: Well, damn... Apparently, Sarge melted all of you into a big ole puddle of goo. LOL All with pure, unadulterated honesty...and a dash of pain meds. XD Bella's still hitting with the big questions, so let's see how he handles them.**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Thur, May 20, 2010 at 8:32 A.M.  
Date Received: Wed, May 19, 2010 at 8:32 P.M.  
Subject: At least the drug induced visions are entertaining...

My love...

I'm so fucking bored! And it's only day two of being stuck alone in bed. The only reason I want to stay in bed is when I'm finally with you. When I'm alone in bed, I think of you, and that is still a problem.

Hmm...a secret circus performer... Does that mean you're all bendy and stuff? Or maybe you just tame lions for a living? I know! You secretly wear really big shoes and bright wigs. No, wait, that shit's just frightening. Never mind. But let's go back to the bendy situation... LOL

I'm so glad that Christopher is doing better, sweetheart. That's the best news! I can't believe that your school year is almost over. It makes me wish I was stateside. I think I'd beg, plead, crawl on broken glass to get you to come to me, even if it was just for a day. Of course, once I have you, I may not let you go.

Okay, so we'll drop the 20 part of it. Just...Question Time... Marriage and kids, huh? Let's see how best to answer this. I envied my parents' relationship because what the Wicked Witch and I had never measured up. She wanted marriage, kids, the picket fence, but she wanted those things as a status symbol, not because she wanted them with me. I avoided the topic. Always. I mean, if I didn't even want to admit that going to college together was not something I wanted, then getting married was absolutely out of the question.

Marriage is the ultimate in commitment to me, love, because I can only imagine doing it once. So yes, I see myself married in the future. The fact that I'm discussing it with you means more than you imagine. I think the same goes for kids, too. I'm certainly not opposed to the idea of kids. And I find myself smiling like an idiot as I write this, because I can't wait to figure all this shit out with you.

Oh, Isabella... Are you sure you're asking how big my..._piano_ is? Are we back to that again, you nosy little thing? ;) I'm pretty sure I've given you..._ample_ hints. LOL

My piano is a baby grand, so it will take up a lot of space, sweetheart. Are you sure about moving it? Really? It would mean a lot if I could bring it with me, because yeah, baby...I would love to play for you. Anytime, anything you want.

Guilty pleasures are kind of funny around here... You'd be surprised just how many military men are hooked on reality shows, soap operas, and romance novels. LOL Video games are an easy thing to get addicted to, and I do play occasionally. Emmett and Jasper play Madden football all the time. It's obvious that I have a sweet tooth, Bella, so your cookies feed that pretty damn well. But I will admit that there is a group of us that are kinda wrapped up in that new show... Once Upon a Time. We can't help it, because every last character from every fairy tale we'd heard about as kids is in it, but they're all living in modern times and they don't know who they are! Even funnier is watching these giant men arguing about Cinderella, Snow White, and Rumpelstiltskin. **laugh**

My turn for a question. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Physically, it would probably be my hair...though I've learned to live with it. It just sticks up every-damn-where, no matter what I do to it. While I've been over here, I try to keep it cut close. Emotionally, I guess I wish I could just block shit out and not worry about the next few months. I just want time to fly. I'm ready to start my life over...with you.

I'm going to make my way down to the mess tent, beautiful, then take some meds and go back to bed.

I love you so fucking much,  
Edward

P.S. I'm a weak and desperate man, Isabella, especially when it comes to you. You're responsible for whatever happens when you send those pictures you're about to pose for. Have mercy on me, love. And if you don't, then brace yourself for the consequences.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Yes, we know _Once Upon a Time_ wasn't out yet in 2010, but it fit with the story, so go with it. ;)**

**I like bored, silly Sarge just as much as sweet, sexy one. LOL**

**Once again, thank you for all the love that you've shown us! And don't forget to come play with us over on FB. You'll find the link on our profile.**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb! :)**


	51. Chapter 51: Bella

**A/N #1: Ahh, a drugged Sarge. Too fun! Thank you guys once again for all the love & support. We really wish we had the time to thank each of you individually, but RL dictates that we spend at least a little time on work & family. ;) But know that we read each & every review...and you have our thanks and love right back at ya! Now, let's see what Bella has to say today...**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Thurs, May 20, 2010 at 6:18 A.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, May 20, 2010 at 6:18 P.M.  
Subject: You caught me... My secret life as a circus clown.

Hey, handsome.

I'm so out of it, I'm actually drinking real coffee! (Ok, so I doctored it up with lots of milk & sugar, but still...) I was so exhausted all day yesterday that I ended up falling asleep last night about 7:00, and I slept all the way through until just a few minutes ago, when I stumbled out of bed. I'm not quite all the way awake yet, but I feel better than I did by last night, that's for sure.

I wish there was a way for me to visit you this summer, but since there isn't, I've begun making plans. I told my dad when I was there last that I'd come for a couple of weeks, and I emailed my mom last night and asked if she'd like the girls and me to come down for a bit, too. I also have a couple of classes scheduled to take at the university (I signed up for a business class and an Educational Psychology course that looked interesting.), just to have something to keep myself busy while you're away.

*snort* Edward Masen, if I really wanted to ask how big your cock was, I'd come out and ask. ;) Yeah, babe, of course I'm serious about wanting to get your piano here. The only place I can imagine it fitting without absolutely crowding us out of house and home is the spare bedroom/office. And that's totally fine. No one comes to visit and stays for any length of time, and with my laptop, I can set up at the kitchen table or just on the couch if I'm not grading papers. We can put the double bed that's in there into storage, either move the small desk into the other bedroom or just get rid of it, and then turn the spare room into a music room. We *might* (I'd have to measure to be sure) be able to fit a love seat in there, as well as a small bookshelf, so we can both be in there at the same time. I can sit and read while I listen to you play or whatever.

I've seen a few episodes of Once Upon a Time, but they kind of lost me as a viewer when the sheriff was killed. :( I do love the idea of all you big macho men sitting around, debating fairytales and such. **laugh**

Hmm, what would I change about myself? Physically, sometimes I feel like my nose is a little too big or my jaw/face is a little too wide. I also have a bigger behind than I'd like, although I try to stay in shape enough that it doesn't get too big. heh I'd also like to figure out how to save more money than I do. I mean, it's not like I don't know HOW to, but that I have a hard time doing it. I spent way too much money on books, pretty things from Victoria's Secret, and what not and only put a little into savings.

Oh, baby, just you wait... I have already picked out the stuff I'm going to wear on Saturday when we take pictures. You wanted blue lingerie, Sarge, you're getting blue lingerie. Any requests? ;)

I'd better go start getting ready for school. Before I go, though... Question time. *grin*

If you could travel anywhere in the world (yes, I know your answer would be Seattle...but say that isn't an option...or say it's WITH me. LOL), where would you go – and why?

For me, it would have to be a tie between Paris (It's the city of love, after all. ;) ), Tuscany (I've heard it's absolutely beautiful.), and Australia. For some reason, I've always wanted to visit. Maybe it's the kangaroos, or maybe it's just the accent. LOL Really, I'd love to just visit Europe and travel everywhere – Scotland, Ireland, England, Italy, France...

I love you, babe. Sending you lots of kisses to your chest to make it feel better!

Love,  
Bella

P.S. By the way... How big ARE you? ;)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So more serious talk about the future, more flirting (I mean, who DOESN'T want to know just how...big...he is?), and more love. It's kind of pouring out of the both of them now, isn't it? :)**

**I know you guys are getting anxious for them to meet. Trust us, we're just as anxious for you guys to SEE them meet! But the stuff between now and then is good, and we want you to just relax and enjoy it. Again, we promise it'll be worth it. ;) There is a ton of story left to go. (I won't tell you how long or when, but I can tell you that you won't have to wait a real four and a half months before they meet. ;) There will be time jumps. But they are still learning about each other and building their relationship, so have patience! ;) )**

**Now, leave Bella & me some love and then head on over and give Sarge his check up, wouldja? *grin* – Jenny**


	52. Chapter 52: Edward

**A/N #1: Heh... Oh, boy, well isn't that the question of the century? LOL You gotta love Bella's shameless candor, if nothing else. XD I'm sure you're dying for the answer, so I'll just let you get on with it...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 at 12:34 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, May 21, 2010 at 12:24 A.M.  
Subject: The docs gave me a thumbs up!

Hey, my Bella...

I'm sorry I'm late getting back to you, but I slept for most of yesterday and then had to let the docs give me the once-over. The swelling in my ribs has gone down, so all that's left is the bruising and the tenderness, but even that is getting a little better. Stephens still wants me off my feet til Monday, so I'm stuck. And I'm so utterly fucking bored sitting around here. I think I've reread every email we've sent, read every book I own, and stared at your pictures more times that I probably should. **grin**

Miss Swan, your orders this weekend, besides whatever naughty pictures you're planning on taking, are to get some rest. At least sleep in one day, would you? I know that when I got hurt, they woke you up, and you probably didn't go back to sleep, did you? **raising an eyebrow up at you** No, you didn't. So please? For me? Try to rest, okay?

Traveling with you...Hmm... I'd love to show you Chicago. Just because I don't want to live there doesn't mean I didn't love it. I think you'd like the food, the busy city, and I'd like to show you where I grew up. If we're talking outside the country, then I'm with you on Australia and Europe. And yeah, Seattle is totally first...

My cock... Oh, Isabella. You make me blush... And I really, _really_ need to hear that word from you, not see it written down in an email. Something just gets lost in translation, I think. You know what they say about curiosity, don't you, my love? ;) I could so tease you. I'm smaller than a torpedo, but bigger than a bullet? LMAO Let me put it this way, love... I'm a perfectly healthy man that's proportioned to my size 11 shoe, my 6' 2" frame, and my hands that can span a full octave and a half easy on the piano. I've never had one complaint, except maybe soreness the next day. To put it bluntly, I'm over 8 1/2" completely hard, which seems to be the norm these days, especially when I talk to you, which also means I have the cleanest fucking dick in the United States Army! Happy? (I had the doc measure...just for you. ;) At least he'll keep that shit to himself.)

God, I love you, sweetheart. I find myself laughing at something you've written or said all times of the damn day or night. You are hands down the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I miss your voice. I want to call you this weekend before you go back to work and before I go back on duty. Can we plan a call...say Sunday?

Your plans for your house sound perfect to me. I can't wait to play for you, help you move stuff around, to sleep next to you. And I'm so very jealous of all the things you're planning to do over the summer. :( I never thought of school as fun, but if YOU were in my class, I just might enjoy it. It's good that you get to see your parents. I know your dad is in Washington, and you mentioned in a previous email that your mom is in Florida. Whereabouts?

I'm going to go play poker with Jazz and Em. Write back soon.

Love you,  
Edward

P.S. Your turn to squirm, Miss Swan, because this is payback. Question... Where is the most interesting or craziest place you've ever had sex? My answer is... I'm not sure yet. YET, Isabella, because I promise you that no place will be sacred when I get to you. Nowhere. Cars, public places, elevators, stairwells...nowhere. Trust me.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: O.O Yeah... I'm not really sure ALL of the drugs were out of our boy's system, but well...there you go. LOL**

**I know the big questions you guys keep asking are... "Will there be any time skipping?" … "Are they going to be separated the whole time?" … Some of you are loving the slow-building, roaring-flame UST and the easy relationship that Sarge and his Bella have. Some of you want to jump in a time machine and skip forward so that our couple can finally meet. LOL I truly understand both. ;) Trust us, because when we were writing this, we felt the EXACT same way you are right now. LOL We have it all under control, but you'll just have to HANG IN THERE!**

**That being said, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb :)**


	53. Chapter 53: Bella

**A/N #1: Eight and a half inches, huh? Eek. Yeah, not a lot of men can live up to that in real life, but that's why this is fiction. ;) LOL I swear, Sarge is just dreamy. Let's see if Bella thinks so, too. ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 at 11:42 A.M.  
Date Received: Fri, May 21, 2010 at 11:42 P.M.  
Subject: Fuck me...

Edward Anthony Masen! This is the first damn chance I've had to sit down and check my email since yesterday, and it just had to be at school! LOL Now I have to sit through the rest of the day with my panties like this! I should have thought to bring another pair today, since this has become a regular occurrence... I have to say I'm a little...intimidated, I guess you'd say. I've never been with anyone quite that size. God, you'll make me feel so full, Edward. Just the thought... Damn.

And yes, thank you very much, I'm squirming! To answer your question, though... By myself or with someone else? *shakes head* So adventurous... I think that would have to be the shower – and it wasn't very good. HE wasn't very good. LOL

Now that I've gotten all that out of my system... ;)

I'm glad you're doing better, babe. I hope the rest of the tenderness goes away quick. Mind Lt. Stephens and rest as much possible until Monday, ok? Promise me. Poker with the boys is fine. Football...not so much. I'm sure you had figured that out on your own, though. *snicker*

Hah! I can't even imagine being in class with you, Edward. Talk about being unable to concentrate! But God...the thought of sitting beside you in the back of the classroom does sound amazingly appealing, even with the threat of failing out of school!

You know...I've never been to Chicago. I've always wanted to visit, but I've never had a reason or the opportunity, really. You'd be willing to play tour guide? Besides all the regular touristy type stuff, like Navy Pier, the Art Institute, and the Children's Museum, I'd love to see your old house and neighborhood. And sweetie, I would love to meet your parents, if taking me to the place they are buried isn't too painful. I wish with everything I am that I could meet them for real, but I would love the opportunity to talk to them and tell them thank you for raising such a wonderful son.

Speaking of parents, Charlie said to tell you hello and that he can't wait to make your acquaintance. *rolls eyes* I'm sure he'll try to intimidate you (because...ya know...guns are a new thing for you...), but honestly, just show him respect and show him that you love and respect me, and he'll love you almost as much as I do. He's already said that he can't wait for the three of us to go to the range so he can see how well you can match up against the two of us. I swear, he's like a teenage boy, he's so competitive!

My mom... She and her husband Phil settled in Jacksonville when he got a job coaching minor league baseball. I don't see her very often (twice a year, really, at most), since she's always so busy with her activities. I try and make it down there once over the summer and once during the holidays, though. She's never visited me here in Seattle, although she's seen pictures of my house and classroom.

My lunch break is over, babe. I love you so very much. Even from there, you make my life infinitely better. And yes... Phone call this weekend is a must. I miss your voice. I need to hear it when you aren't in pain and I'm not worried.

All my love,  
Bella

P.S. Oh! I've got time for a quick question before the kids come in... Let's see... What was your first car? Mine was a 1953 Chevy. The truck was old and slow, but I loved it. My dad got it from an old friend of his who couldn't drive anymore and gave it to me when I moved in with him in high school.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: She's determined to tease him, isn't she? LOL So more info about her life, her mom, etc. I know it's short, but believe us when we say that will change very soon...**

**Also, you get another surprise tomorrow, and I promise, you won't want to miss it. ;) Now, leave us some love & scoot on over to see what Sarge has to say today. *grin* – Jenny**


	54. Chapter 54: Edward

**A/N #1: The fact that some of you got out a ruler to measure out Sarge had me LOL'ing at work. XD I apologize for not converting that to centimeters for some of you. Heehee... Whew. And no, we don't have a pic of that, though there have been some...ummm, interesting ones posted in the Sarge's Girls FB room. O_o Okay, I'll let you get on with his reply...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sat, May 22, 2010 at 8:23 A.M.  
Date Received: Fri, May 21, 2010 at 8:23 P.M.  
Subject: RE: Fuck me... (Don't tease, Miss Swan...)

Sweetheart...

I'd show you anything you wanted in Chicago. Anything. I'd show you all those things you mentioned, plus the Sears Tower, the barber shop where the St. Valentine's Day Massacre occurred, and treat you to the best pizza on this planet. You know, I still have things in storage... Perhaps we could make a trip there after I'm done here. And I'd be honored to show you where my parents are buried, love. They truly would've loved you – especially my mother.

My first car was my mother's Volvo S90. The thing drove like a dream because she kept it in such good condition. I sold it to the neighbor's son just before I left for basic training. What I want when I get back is the newer Volvo C70...unless I'm suddenly a gajillionare when I get out, and then I want an Aston Martin Vanquish. Yeah...that's not happening, but a man can dream. LOL

No, love...I'm well aware that I can't play football. Em and Jazz know it, too, so we've opted to play the video game instead. Poker was fun. I won Emmett's iPod from him, so I'm pretty sure Rose will be pissed when he asks for another one. LOL

I'm feeling much better. I'm off the pain meds and on something over-the-counter. As much as I'll miss my dreams of you all bendy and shit, I'm glad that I can think straight again. I can understand now how some soldiers get addicted to those things, because they make you completely comfortable. NOTHING bothers you. At all. I just took mine and went to sleep.

Tell your dad that the shooting range is on! I have guns of my own, which I'm sure he'd like to see. In fact, when I mentioned it to Jasper and Emmett, they wanted to go, too. Maybe all of us will go. It would take some of the pressure off meeting him, and the guys will get to see him. They talk about him often. You should tell him that.

Question time, Miss Swan. Why doesn't your mother visit you? Why wouldn't any mother visit their child as least one time? I don't get it, and for some reason, that bothers me...for you. I know how you've said that the roles were reversed between you, but still... Why? Perhaps I'm overly sensitive to this subject, but I can't imagine that anything would've kept my mother from visiting. If she were still around, I'm pretty sure she'd have tried to come to Afghanistan to see me. **rolls eyes** It's sad, but closer to the truth than you know.

Hmm... If the shower is your most adventurous _with_ someone – which, by the way, it's a shame he didn't truly take care of you – then where in the hell was your most adventurous _alone_? And just who caused you to all of a sudden need to come that badly? Because believe me, beautiful... THAT I understand. And my answer would be most recently my CO's office. ;)

I need to grab something to eat and then see if I can get moving around a little today. Nothing major, Bella. I promise. Maybe I'll try running, or if not, then a long walk. The guys are out on patrol without me this weekend, so I'm bored to fucking death.

I love you more than my heart can contain. I can't wait to hear your voice tomorrow. Does 9 A.M. your time sound okay? Let me know.

Yours always,  
Edward

P.S. Again, we have this issue with the panties, Isabella. You know...the motor pool uses this thing called a ShamWow. ;) Maybe I can steal one and send it your way. They say it absorbs lots of liquids. It seems like such a waste for you to stay so wet without me there to take care of it for you. If just the thought of my cock filling you makes you wet, imagine what it'll be like when I'm there. It's almost bedtime, love. Are you wet now? If you are, then take care of yourself for me. Call my name, baby...I'll hear it. And use 3 fingers.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: LOL ShamWow... XD I'm certain I need to give thanks to my Coffee Girls on Twitter for that inspiration. MWAH!**

**Couple of things before I let you go... First, I'd like to thank all of you for the unbelievable love and support that you're showing this fic. I wish we could hug you all, but we can't...though e-smooches from Sarge would be awesome. And review replies are impossible with our RL schedules, but understand...we read all of them! I have even carried a few questions over to FB in order to clear some things up. And if you have a specific question in a review, one of us will reply to answer...if we can. ;)**

**And lastly, we have a present for you tomorrow. Yup, a double posting...4 chapters. It's a big, big day...and for more than just extra chapters. ;) Remember when I told you guys that I saw this fic in stages? Well, this is the beginning of one of those next steps. And OMG, Jenny and I have been totally waiting for this for you guys! :) It's been like a countdown for us! LOL**

**So leave some love...and I can't wait to see you all tomorrow. :D Mooches, Deb. :)**


	55. Chapter 55: Bella

**A/N #1: If we had ShamWows, we would send them all out to you guys. ;) Sarge is something, isn't he? I know you guys are anxious about today's posts...all FOUR of them...so I'll let you get to it. But first, thank you to everyone for everything. We couldn't be more appreciative or grateful for your love and support. :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 at 9:32 P.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 22, 2010 at 9:32 A.M.  
Subject: It's not teasing if you follow through...

Oh, Edward... I was in the bath when you emailed, and now you're going to make me get all dirty _again_ when I go to bed? I believe I can handle those instructions, babe... Be listening because I promise, your name will ring out loud and clear, as it has so many times lately.

Hmm, I'm honestly not sure how bendy I am in real life. I've never really had the opportunity to find out...but I'm looking forward to learning with you. *saucy grin* As for the most adventurous place by myself? There was one day that I read an email from you, and my body was strung so tightly, I was in desperate need of release. I lasted until my free time, when my kids were going from P.E. to music, and then I let the office know I needed to run home. I thought about just going out to the parking lot, but doing that in the parking lot of an elementary school was just too...squicky. *blush* I didn't even make it all the way home. I kept thinking of your words and your voice, and when I saw the turn off to the wooded park area, I took it. It was the middle of the day, so there were no other cars. I just hiked up my skirt, slid my panties to the side, and used my fingers until I was screaming your name. I was so worked up already that it didn't take long...I was back at school in twenty minutes...and that includes time to go home and change panties! LOL A ShamWow would have come in very handy. ;)

Nice... The Volvo C70, hmm? What color? The silver looks really good, but I love the black sapphire metallic – it's so sleek. I have a Ford Fusion Hybrid right now in steel blue, which is one of my favorite colors.

My mom is...unique. She loves me, I know, but really, in her head, it's all about her. She doesn't do it because she's mean or doesn't care. That's just the way she's always been. She's actually tried making plans a couple of times over the last 3 years since I graduated and started teaching, but something always comes up – either I was sick and she didn't want to catch it, or Phil had to travel for work and she wanted to go with him. That's...just the way she is. *shrug* Esme (Alice's mom) makes a great substitute mother on the occasions I need someone, and of course, my girls are always there. So I've learned to deal and have just accepted it for what it is.

I'm laughing already about the shooting range and all of us traipsing in... You know the bets would be flying! Of course, my dad would put money on himself, but there have been many times that I've out-shot him, so...it would be a good competition! *laugh* I'll be sure and pass along to him about Emmett & Jasper. They are the sons he never had, so I know he'll be tickled pink (although he'd NEVER use that phrase! LOL) to know they think of him often.

All right, babe, I need to go. The girls are coming over for breakfast and have threatened (I mean, told...) me that we have plans tomorrow before and after taking pictures.

I love you, Edward...so damn much.

Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, May 22, 2010 at 10:07 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 22, 2010 at 10:07 P.M.  
Subject: Help me! I'm being kidnapped! LOL

Hey, babe.

Just a quick note to let you know I won't be back on the computer until tonight. The girls are kidnapping me to go shopping and to the spa to get my hair and nails done – and they swear that I'm getting a massage this time, since I haven't gotten one the last handful of times we've gone. Then we're coming back here to take pictures (yes, for you...) and then going to the club tonight. I don't really feel like dancing, but I know if I just sat around here, I'd be so excited about tomorrow that I would go nuts. They know that, so they are taking steps to prevent it. LOL

I love you! Will email tonight before bed.

Love,  
Bella

P.S. My fingers were very busy last night after emailing you. Did you hear? I called out for you, just like you wanted...a few times, in fact...

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, May 23, 2010 at 12:14 A.M.  
Date Received: Sun, May 23, 2010 at 12:14 P.M.  
Subject: I love you! :D

My feet hurt, I'm just *slightly* drunk, and I'm horny, dammit. That's what I get for drinking a rum and coke. Looks like I'll be taking a trip to Edward-land in my head before going to sleep. I love that place. It's so fun...Kind of lonely, though, there all by myself. :(

Miss you, baby!

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ok, so pictures are taken... :) You'll see his reaction next chapter. Remember, a link to see one of the pictures she might have sent is in our profile. We also learned a bit more about her mom. Poor Bella, huh? :(**

**I know you're anxious, so go on. Leave us a quick note to tell us your reaction to Renee or whatever else you liked about the chapter, and then head on to Sarge. *grin* You know you want to... ;)**

**For those asking about the care package, remember, it takes a couple of weeks to make the trip. ;) It's only been about that long. You'll see it...well, heck, I'll spoil. You'll read about it tomorrow. ;) *hugs* – Jenny**


	56. Chapter 56: Edward

**A/N #1: Hmmm, I suppose I should precede this chapter with a LEMON WARNING... ;) You know, for those of you – like me – that like to read at work. LOL ;) And you'll finally see Sarge's reaction to Bella's pictures.**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 8:43 P.M.**

The barracks were quiet as I walked through to the CO's office carrying my laptop. Most of my own squad was still out on patrol, making sure the cell that had been attacking our transport trucks was completely eradicated. I wasn't so sure they weren't hunting whatever stragglers were out there as an act of revenge for me and Wells getting hurt. The rest of the adjoining barracks were quiet – some guys sleeping, some down at the mess tent, others already up and out to take the next shift.

I set my laptop down, starting it up. I wanted to check my email before I called Bella. Grinning at the memory of her last email, I shook my head. It had been the equivalent of a drunk text or call. My girl was just a little tipsy, lonely for me, but mostly horny.

Chuckling to myself and opening my email, I wondered briefly just how explosive it would be when we were finally face to face. Our relationship was different, but strong and honest. The flirting and innuendo and sexual tension was growing by leaps and bounds, even more so since we'd said I love you. Our first meeting was a fantasy in my mind that changed all the time. It was everything from the airport, to Bella's house, to a hotel room, but the one thing that stayed the same in that fantasy was that nothing survived – not beds, not doors, not even the walls stayed standing.

"Oh, for the love of all that's holy," I groaned, unable to tear my eyes away from the screen in front of me.

Bella had sent pictures. Blue lace. Creamy skin. Hands in not quite there places. I had to adjust myself while I just took her in as I dialed her number. She was so fucking beautiful. It was hard to believe that she was mine, that she loved me.

"Hello?" my favorite voice answered.

"Hey, beautiful," I said, unable to keep the shit-eating grin off my face.

"Hi, babe," she sighed, like she'd been holding her breath. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Still sore and bruised, but I'm able to move around better now," I told her, rubbing my chest, but my eyes fell to the pictures in front of me. "But...you're gonna be the death of me, Bella..."

The sweet, naughty giggle that met my ears just made me all the harder. "I told you I had blue..."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Yes, I see that. Blue...tiny things. Blue lacy things. And if I'm not mistaken, your car is blue, too."

"Mmhm," she hummed, a slight giggle still in her voice. "Those are just for you, Sarge."

"Everything about you is just for me," I stated without thinking, my voice dropping low. "I shouldn't be held responsible for what I would do to you if you were standing here in front of me dressed like that."

The sound that came across the phone was a sound I'd been aching to hear again. It shocked me that Bella responded so readily to just my voice, my words, but the whimper mixed with a small moan made my dick twitch with the want of her. I had to adjust myself again in order to sit comfortably.

"What? Tell me what you'd do, Edward," she commanded softly.

"First, let me ask you something," I murmured, staring at the pictures of her. I was stalling, because I wasn't sure I wanted to do this over the phone, but fuck, if the two of us didn't need something. This shit had been building for weeks, almost exploding when we'd vowed our love for each other. "Was it cold in the room when you posed for these, sweetheart?"

"No."

"No..." I smirked, licking my lips. "Mm, love. Those pretty nipples are awfully hard for it not to be cold. What were you thinking about?"

"You."

"What about me?" I asked, clearly hearing her shift on the other end of the line.

"At first, it was simple things...like what your face would be like when you saw those pictures," she explained softly, her own voice taking on a husky tenor. Fuck, if that shit wasn't sexy as all hell. "Then it became more...detailed. Like...what would your hands feel like on me as you took everything off my body? Would you be rough? Gentle? Slow? Would you kiss me while you were doing it?"

I growled low, my eyes rolling back as I said, "I'd be all of those things for you, Bella." I rubbed the outside of my fatigues, trying to relieve some of the pressure. "Christ, where are you right now?"

"Still in bed," she answered, and I could hear a smile to her voice. "You?"

"My CO's office," I chuckled darkly.

"The door closed and locked?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely," I grunted, giving my cock another heavy rub over the outside of my pants. "Bella, are you sure about this?"

"Oh, God, please..."

My girl needed something, some sort of release, and despite the fact that I knew she was taking care of her needs herself, it was me she wanted. Something about that thought caused all nerves to fly out the fucking window.

"Oh, baby..." I moaned, closing my laptop, because I didn't need pictures of her for this shit. "Put me on speakerphone, love. You'll need both hands."

"Bluetooth, Edward," she panted.

"What are you wearing?"

"Nothing."

"Good girl," I growled, unable to stop myself from lowering my zipper and sliding my hand inside my boxers. "You want to know what I'd do to you, Isabella?"

"Yes, please..."

"First, I'd kiss the ever-loving shit out of you, but seeing as how I can't, we'll skip that part," I started, losing myself in the sounds of her, the feel of my own hand, and the fact that the whole world just slipped away. Suddenly, she was right there in the room with me. "I'd start with your stomach, just feeling your soft skin. I bet it feels like silk. Lay that hand flat, baby, and then glide it up to your breasts. Are your nipples hard for me again?" I asked, and her sweet little sound told me they were, even if she didn't really answer me. "Make them harder...roll them, pinch them."

"Fuck, babe, I need more. Please don't tease...not this time. It's too much," she breathed. "Please?" she asked again.

I nodded stupidly, like she could see me, but I gave in. Hell, I would probably always give in to her. "Lay back, love. Spread those beautiful legs. Are you wet for me?"

"Y-Yes..."

"Tell me," I ordered. "Use just your middle finger and tell me how wet you are for me."

"So wet, it's on my thighs, Edward," she whispered.

"Gather up some of that sweet stuff and glide up around that clit, baby. Get it nice and slick for me," I started, because this wasn't going to take long. I could hear how worked up she was. "That's my hand, Bella. Does it feel good?"

"More, baby..."

Taking that answer as a positive, I smiled. "Good girl. Now slip that one finger deep inside. Use your thumb to rub that pretty clit. I bet you're all swollen, aching, aren't you, love?"

"Mmmhm," she panted.

"Add another finger and go as deep as you want, Bella. This is me. You'll feel every inch of me," I told her, finally giving up and pulling my hard-as-hell dick from my boxers. "Now...another finger, baby, and press down on that clit – up one side, down the other. Do I feel good?"

"Edward...close..."

"Mmm, good, let me hear you. I need to hear you, Bella. You have no idea," I rambled. "I love you so fucking much, but I need to hear my name, beautiful. Take yourself hard and deep. I want you to feel this hours from now."

I knew it was coming, but the sound of my name spilling from her sweet lips as she came might've been the best sound I'd ever heard. Ever. My cock twitched hard in my hand as she panted over the phone. And I swore to fucking God that I could hear the wetness over the line. One day, I was going to fuck that girl into oblivion. If anything gave me the focus to get out of this motherfucking desert, it was that goal..._right there_.

"I love you, Edward," she whispered, and I smirked, because I could hear her sated tone all the way from the other side the world.

"Love you, too, sweetheart," I sighed, squeezing my eyes closed because I was still hard as fucking steel.

"Are you touching yourself, babe?" she asked, and my hand gripped harder at the tone that changed in her voice. "Are you hard for me?"

"Yeah..."

"Good, Edward. Now it's your turn to come for me."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Yeah, I'm not stupid... I know you're not paying a bit of attention to me... By all means, go on. If you're in the right frame of mind to leave a review, awesome! :D If not, I totally understand. LMAO**

**By the way, there is a pic tease concerning Bella's, ummm...pics up on my blog, on Jenny's site, and in the Sarge's Girls FB group...all links can be found on our profile.**


	57. Chapter 57: Bella

**A/N #1: What? You want to see how the rest of the call goes? Fine... I won't keep you. ;) (But still...thank you for all the reviews, tweets, posts on Facebook, and positive vibes you guys keep sending us. It's AMAZING! :) )**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 9:15 A.M.**

I lay there, boneless, completely relaxed, and utterly sated after Edward had given me the most explosive orgasm I'd had in years—maybe ever. All without laying a single finger on me. His words alone were crazy sexy, but add in that smooth-as-silk, deep, husky voice, and they became deadly.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered, still breathing harder than normal.

The soft moaning sigh as he replied, "Love you, too, sweetheart," told me he wasn't nearly as satisfied as he'd made me.

And I wasn't having that shit...

"Are you touching yourself, babe?" My nipples tightened again, a fresh wave of arousal coursing through me as I thought of his hand around his cock. "Are you hard for me?"

"Yeah..." It was breathless and almost plaintive, like he was trying to hold himself back.

I smiled, adjusting myself on the bed a bit to get more comfortable. "Good, Edward," I told him, my voice deeper, smoother. "Now it's your turn to come for me."

His answering groan sent zings of electricity from my ears to my center, making every nerve ending come back to life.

"I can't wait to get my hands on you, babe," I said, keeping my voice low. My hand clenched in the sheet, wishing it was wrapped around him instead of the fabric. "I bet you're like steel under your hand, aren't you? Can you feel it throbbing? Your cock is just begging to have me, isn't it?"

"Fuck, Bella," he groaned again, his voice even more breathy than before. I could hear soft noises as he shifted position – the rasp of clothing, the slight squeak of the chair he was sitting in.

"Where would you want it first, Edward? My hands? You said it would take two hands, so if I only used one, would it not feel as good, babe?" I was teasing him, and I knew it, but I couldn't help myself.

"Fuck no, Isabella," he growled softly. "One hands, two hands...it won't matter, beautiful."

"You know, Sarge...one of my favorite dreams about you is when I drop to my knees and pull that long, thick cock"—his groan again at that word nearly would have made me giggle if it wasn't so fucking hot—"from your cargoes and slide it between my lips. I want to taste you so fucking much, babe. I'd use my tongue to trace all over your shaft before licking all the way up to the tip, gathering the milky taste of you that's already dripping."

Edward hissed, and I heard a wet noise, like he'd just smacked his lips. "Fuck, sweetheart. Keep going... I'm so close."

Closing my eyes, I pictured him in my head – long, sure fingers wrapped around his eight-and-a-half-inch length, stroking himself to my words. The image was breathtaking.

"Are you leaking, Edward?" At his answering noise of agreement, I shivered, my mouth watering to taste him. "Gather that in your hand, babe. Use it to stroke yourself, and imagine it's my mouth as I take you all the way to the back of my throat."

His breath was coming faster now, harsher, spurring me on.

"Once neither of us could wait any longer, I would stand up and move over you, using one hand to hold you so I could lower myself down on you. Fuck, Edward, your cock is so big, I'm going to be so tight around you. I'm going to squeeze you like it was my hand as I ride you, but it will be my pussy—"

That was the magic word. With a groan, my name fell from his lips like a prayer and a curse combined. I could hear his hand now as he slowed his strokes, echoing his breathing as he tried to temper it back to normal.

"Did that feel good, babe?" I asked, my voice shaky and breathless now that I'd heard him come.

"Oh, love..." Edward chuckled darkly. "If it's half as good when we're finally face to face, it'll be out of this world amazing."

"Mmhmm," I agreed, closing my eyes for a second to get myself back under control.

"Give me a minute, beautiful. I'm...a bit of a mess at the moment."

There was a dull thump, like he'd set the phone down, and then a rustling noise. I grinned at the thought, wondering how he was cleaning himself up.

After a minute, he came back on the line. "I should have thought ahead, I suppose," he said.

"What'd you use?" I giggled, wondering what in his CO's office he'd have been able to find that he wouldn't have had to explain away.

There was a pause, and then he huffed a laugh. "My shirt."

I started laughing, but when I pictured him sitting there in just his cargoes and boots, the laugh turned to a groan.

"Bella?" Edward sounded worried. "What's wrong?"

"You can't do that to me," I growled playfully. "Not fair, teasing me with your bare chest...and stomach...and shoulders..."

He laughed. "Sorry, love. I'd put it back on, but... No. Just no..."

That thought lightened the mood, and I slid back down into the bed, wrapping the sheet around me.

Edward sighed softly. "Thank you, sweetheart. That was...perfect – and so very needed."

"Mmm," I agreed, smiling to myself. "And I agree. If it's half as good in person, we're going to be very happy."

"You're amazing, Bella. I don't know how I ever got this lucky."

His words were like a hug, reaching through the phone line and wrapping themselves around me.

I wanted to argue that _I_ was the lucky one, but instead, I just smiled and said, "I think we're both the lucky ones, Edward."

We were quiet a minute, each lost in our own thoughts, before he spoke again.

"You remember that I go back to work in the morning, right, sweetheart?"

My throat hurt as I swallowed around the sudden lump blocking my airway. He didn't need to worry about me on top of everything else, though, so I put on a brave front and said softly, "I know. You'll be careful, you hear me, Sergeant Masen? You can't afford to get distracted and be off your game."

"I won't, Bella, I swear. I have to figure out the balance. Once I go on shift, I know I need to put everything and _everyone_ else – as much as I hate it – out of my head so I can get home safely to you. I can't wait to start our life together, love. I'll do whatever I damn well have to in order for that to happen."

I smiled at his fierce statement. "I know, babe. I know you will." Glancing at the clock, I realized it was getting late over there, and he needed to sleep now so he was well rested for tomorrow. "Edward..."

He sighed, and I could tell his mind had gone right where mine had. "I know, love. I need to go. I...need a shower—"

I couldn't help the giggle that burst out of me.

"—and fuck if I'm not hard enough to have it be another _long_ one, Isabella," he teased. "Thank you again for the pictures and for this amazing phone call. Hearing your voice was just what I needed."

Tears started making silent tracks down my cheeks as I nodded. "For me, too, Edward. I love you so very much."

"Oh, Bella... I love you, too. Don't cry, sweetheart. I'll email you tomorrow night, all right? And you should be getting a package from me anytime, love."

I swiped at my face with the edge of the sheet, sniffling. "'Kay," I said, smiling in spite of the awful feeling that came with ending our conversation.

"Have a good day, Bella, and email me, please. I live for your words," he said quietly but firmly.

"I will," I promised, swallowing back my tears. "Don't say goodbye. I don't want to hear that." I was shaking my head, begging him to understand.

There was a pause, and then, as if he realized how close I was to the edge, he ended the call with a simple, "I love you, Isabella Marie Swan."

My "I love you, too" echoed over the now empty line, and I was sobbing again before I'd even hung up the phone.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Whew! From the hot and sexy to the sniffly sad...but I promise it won't stay that way for long. ;)**

**Poor Bella needs some hugs, so leave her some love before you read on to the last chapter for today... *mwah* – Jenny**


	58. Chapter 58: Edward

**A/N #1: Does everyone feel a little better now that our couple has had bit of...mmm, relief? LOL ;) There's a reason we used the phone instead of Skype for that. Because despite all of their bravado, our couple is still learning about each other. Perhaps seeing something is different than hearing it. They are building up to things, I promise.**

**This chapter is just...so important. I don't have much to say about it because I totally want you to enjoy it.**

**~oOo~**

**Afghanistan... Monday, May 24, 2010 at 7:36 A.M.**

"Sarge!" Stephens barked across the barracks as we all got ourselves ready for the day. It was my first day back, so I couldn't understand why his face held so much intensity.

"Sir!" I called back, standing at attention, as did every other man in the room.

"At ease, guys," he chuckled, walking to me and waving a hand at the rest of my men. "Get your squad together, and meet me in the planning room ASAP. We need to talk before you go out today."

"Yes, sir," I murmured, frowning at him as my heart plummeted to my stomach, because I was suddenly terrified that they were about to send us back to Kandahar, and I didn't know how on this fucking Earth I was going to tell that shit to Bella.

"Relax, Masen," he chuckled. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore but better, sir," I answered honestly with a nod, lacing up my boots. "I mean, I can move around now without it being hard to breathe."

"Good, good." He smiled, and it was genuine, crinkling up the corners of his eyes. He wasn't a young man, so the laugh lines stayed pretty much permanent. "Okay, planning room...hurry."

He left the barracks, and I finished getting dressed, pulling my weapon across my shoulder last. "You heard the man... Let's go, let's go!" I barked, the worry still settling deep within me, despite Stephens' assurances.

Jasper kept steps with me as we made our way across base. "Aw, hell. You don't think they're sending us back to—"

"I don't know," I grunted, cutting him off. "Bella will fall apart, if that's the case. She barely handled my getting hurt, and that was here."

Jasper grimaced but nodded. He knew. Alice, despite how well she'd handled his injuries last time, was still a mess. Emmett sighed, and I could imagine he was thinking the same shit I was...that the girls were strong, but three times in a war zone was pushing our fucking luck. They would worry their asses off.

I opened the door to the planning room, and my men followed me in. We were greeted by not only Stephens but General Thompson, too, who stopped us from saluting him.

"Sit, boys... We have a few things to go over with you," he sighed, looking weary but focused as he flipped through a folder at the front of the room.

My men and I all took seats at the tables quietly, looking expectantly up at the two men that could, in all honesty, send us into hell without an apology.

General Thompson paced the floor, his eyes on the file in his hands. Taking a deep breath, he turned to face the room.

"Boys, I want to commend you on a job well done these last few months. Your determination to catch this last cell terrorizing the main road was excellent. Also, your ability to work with Special Ops in Kandahar was outstanding. So..." He relaxed slightly, setting the file down on the table in front of him. "Here's what I'd like to do. I think the next few squads that are scheduled to ship over here need to know what it's like. You guys have seen the right amount of action, dealt with an urban war zone, and managed to work flawlessly with a team that usually doesn't need help. What I'd like to do is send you stateside to start training several squads that are coming over here."

The whole room froze, looking at the General like he had three heads, which caused him to chuckle.

"No, I'm not kidding. You've done a damn good job over here, boys. I think it's time that you taught others what it's like. I know this squad's term is up in October, so what I want you to do is spend these next four months training new groups coming out of basic." He grinned, shaking his head as he took in every shocked face in front of him. "Is that okay with you?" he asked, chuckling as he looked over to a very amused Stephens.

"Sir, yes, sir!" we all yelled back, probably a little too loud, but we couldn't help it.

"I figured as much." He laughed, slapping his hand lightly down onto the table. "I know you have patrol, and I know that you'll want to tell your families, but let's go over the details really quick, shall we?"

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Mon, May 24, 2010 at 10:23 P.M.  
Date Received: Mon, May 24, 2010 at 10:23 A.M.  
Subject: Holy fucking shit! Have I got news for you!

My beautiful Bella...

We've been reassigned, my love! STATESIDE!

No, I'm not kidding, baby. We'll be shipping back to the States in a little less than two weeks, where we'll finish out the remainder of our term at MacDill AFB in Tampa. Yup, sweetheart...Florida. We'll be training new recruits on tactical planning before they ship to Afghanistan.

Jesus Christ, love. Do you even know what this means? I'm sure you do... LOL Sorry, I'm just... You have no idea how fucking scared I was that they were about to send us back into Kandahar. They called us for a meeting first thing this morning. Jazz, Em, and I were trying our damnedest to figure out how we were going to tell you girls, but we're not going back.

Sweetheart, we're coming home. Okay, well...not technically home, but I'm getting out of this fucking desert.

We'll be shipping out in a little less than a week, with a stop off in Germany to attend a few classes of our own. Once we leave there, we'll fly straight into MacDill. There will be times I'll be out of contact, baby, but I promise to email or call when I can. And I promise to let you know when we actually ship out.

Fuck, Bella...just knowing I'll be on the same continent as you makes me stupidly fucking happy. I love you so fucking much, and I want you girls to celebrate for us, okay? Like fall-down-drunk celebrate.

Love you beyond reason,  
Edward

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Our boys are going stateside! **plugs ears for another batch of screaming****

**I'm sure you can now understand why Jenny and I were trying so damn hard to get you to this point. :D So very many possibilities, right? Right. ;) I don't want to spoil anything for you, and we've still got a bit of a long road ahead, but at least they'll be out of that desert! ;)**

**Okay, so you'll see us again tomorrow. Feel free to squee as much as you wish. LOL Mooches, Deb. :)**


	59. Chapter 59: Bella

**A/N #1: Ok, if you read chapter 58 and it was screwy with words missing, etc, go back and reread it now. Something happened with FFn and the chapter, because that was NOT how it was supposed to be. ;)**

**I know you all are anxious to see Bella's reaction to the news, so have at it! :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Mon, May 24, 2010 at 11:35 A.M.  
Date Received: Mon, May 24, 2010 at 11:35 P.M.  
Subject: That may be the first time I've ever screamed like that at school...

Edward, babe!

I can't even fucking believe it! I hadn't opened my laptop yet, planning to email you after I ate the meatloaf sandwich I brought for lunch, when Alice came running into my classroom, looking wild-eyed and bat-shit crazy. She wouldn't tell me what was going on, only that I had to check my email. Once I had, we screamed like preteen girls. It was insanely funny.

Oh my God! I'm shaking, I'm so fucking happy and excited. I know you'll be in Florida, and I'll be across the country here in Seattle, but... To know you won't be in the middle of a war zone or having to worry about something happening like it did before? This is the happiest I've ever been, aside from hearing you love me.

I love you so, so much, Edward. I can't wait until I can show you that in person. I know you'll be extra busy this week, getting ready to ship out (again, YAY!), so I won't expect to hear from you for a bit, but I'll write you in case you have time to read them. Also, you'd damn well better keep yourself safe, Sarge, because if something happens to you in the next week, I'll hunt you down. ;)

I'm going to go with Ali to see Rose while we have some time left on our lunch break. She's in class, so I doubt she's had time to check her email. We'll interrupt her class, dammit. This is too important not to!

Love you always,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Tues, May 25, 2010 at 12:14 A.M.  
Date Received: Tues, May 25, 2010 at 12:14 P.M.  
Subject: Can't sleep...

*yawn* I should really be asleep, but for the life of me, I can't do it. I went out to celebrate (sort of...) tonight with the girls and Alice's parents. We only went out to eat, and I only had one drink since it's a school night. LOL The real celebrating will be done Friday night. Not sure what we're going to do, but we're sure as hell going to do something.

Only three days left of school. My kids were crazy today. It's all about parties and end of school assemblies and activities this week, so it's all to be expected, but... I'm exhausted! Don't know why I can't sleep. I think maybe it's just still my excitement over you coming back to the States.

Going to go warm up some hot chocolate (plain warm milk? blech...) and hope that helps me get sleepy. If not, I sense a warm bath in my future, too...and maybe an orgasm or three. ;)

Love you,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, May 26, 2010 at 4:32 P.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, May 27, 2010 at 4:32 A.M.  
Subject: Guess what came today?

Babe... I'm in tears! This T-shirt will be perfect to sleep in! (Ok, so I will admit to immediately stripping when I saw it and putting it on... LOL) It's so nice and roomy, so soft, and I swear, it's like you're just wrapped all around me. God, Edward, it smells so good. I would never have imagined it would still smell like...well, what I assume you smell like! Putting it in a sealed plastic bag did the trick, I think. Your old dog tags are around my neck, too. Those suckers aren't coming off except for shower and sleep, I'll tell you now.

Are you sure about sending me this picture of you and your parents? I know your note said you wanted me to keep it safe for you, that you'd get it when you got home, but babe... That's an incredible honor, Edward. It has found a home on my shelf over my desk, and I will treasure it until I am able to hand it back to you (or...ya know, it can stay...). You were so adorable as a gangly teenager. Your mom looks ok in the picture, but you look old enough...was that right after she really started getting sick?

I recognize this thumb drive, Mr. Sneaky. I'm listening to the songs now. I've always loved Photograph by Def Leppard, but Tokio Hotel and their song, World Behind My Wall, were both new to me. I like it! But God, Edward... I know you'll be heading to Germany soon and then Florida not too long after that...and Here Without You by 3 Doors Down is just about damn near breaking my heart. I miss your voice, I miss seeing your handsome face... Even though we've never met face to face, it's killing me being away from you. These last few months can't go by fast enough.

*insert sighing at the mixed emotions running through me* Happy, anxious, etc. etc. :)

Ok, I need to scoot. I have some end-of-the-year party favors to give my kids tomorrow that I need to put together, and then I'm going to crash early, I think. Haven't slept well at all this week (although last night, the orgasms finally did the trick, thank you VERY much, Sgt. Masen. ;) ), so I need the extra sleep tonight if I can get it.

Love,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Thurs, May 27, 2010 at 8:11 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, May 28, 2010 at 8:11 A.M.  
Subject: I'm free, I'm free!

Ok, so I still have to go back tomorrow to clean up my room and stuff, but really, it's just for a couple of hours whenever. Today was a great day with the kids, and although I'll miss them all (ok, most... LOL), I have never been more ready for summer... Summer means you. Summer means I'm that much closer to seeing you and starting our life together.

I went over to Rose's place with Alice after school and just got home, so I'm going to shower and then sit down and catch up on some TV. Oh, and Alice passed along the message from you that you gave Jasper. I know you're busy and barely have time to read these before falling asleep. I'm not worried, babe. I love you, too! Just email when you can!

Yours always,  
Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So not only did we get to see Bella's reaction to the news about the boys coming stateside, but she got the box he sent! What did you think of everything he included? You can check our profile for links to YouTube for each of the three songs. Have a listen. They're great! :)**

**All right, leave us some love and then head on over to see what is coming next from Sarge! ;) *hugs* – Jenny**


	60. Chapter 60: Edward

**A/N #1: You got to see what Edward finally sent in his package to his girl, right? :) Those songs are pretty poignant. If you get a chance, the links to the videos with the lyrics are on our profile. It's the lyrics that made me pick those songs more than anything. Now... There's a little tiny time-jump on this one from Bella's first email reply until now. Sarge will explain why he's been out of contact and why he sent the things he did. :)**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, May 28, 2010 at 9:46 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, May 28, 2010 at 9:46 A.M.  
Subject: Damn, Bella, I'm so sorry...

Sweetheart,

I've been so damn busy this last week. I've been working with the latest group of men to ship over, observing Lt. Stephens as he teaches them. I have to know how to handle this shit once we get to Tampa, but I have to still work my own patrols, too. Ugh, I'm exhausted. I swear, when we finally get on the plane Sunday, I'm going to sleep the whole way to Germany!

I love you so much, my beautiful girl. I'm sure about everything that has to do with _us_! So you hold on to everything I sent you. Consider the photo of my parents the first thing I move in, okay? My shirt? That's my arms around you, holding you, keeping you warm at night, and keeping you close. I'll send you another one soon. My dog tags... LOL Maybe that's my way of marking my territory, my Bella. I can't be there to keep the wolves at bay, you sexy thing. So maybe I just needed to know that my name was on you somewhere. The Jacobs and Mikes of the world can back off now, because I'm just _that much closer_ to coming for you.

The music, though, is a different story. I was missing you so damn much when I put together your package that I couldn't help but put in songs that were expressing what I was feeling. You hit the nail on the head with the exact three that meant the most. World Behind My Wall is so me, Bella. I've never let anyone in as much as I have you. You have no idea how much you've changed me, made me a better man. I can't wait to prove that to you.

Speaking of packages... I totally got mine from you just in time. I'm ashamed to say that I shoved like three cookies in my mouth at one time. LOL Nah, not really ashamed, because they're delicious, baby. **grins and wipes crumbs off my shirt** Now I have travel snacks. And new music, too. It seems we were on the same page. I'll be sure to load it all on the iPod I won from Emmett playing poker. He'll hate it! ;)

Miss Swan, I'm so happy for you that your school year is over. Now maybe you can catch up on some of that sleep you've missed, yes? **raises eyebrow at you** I know you've been worried for me, but you can relax soon. One more day, and we'll be in the air, that much closer to American soil.

I miss you – your voice, your words. I've missed you all damn week. I feel like my brain will explode soon, because there are a ton of things I should have said to you all week, but now my fingers can't get it down quickly enough. I'd say I missed your face, but I keep a picture of you with me at all times, so even though I haven't written, please know you're always with me. Okay, love?

Mmm... Question time, Isabella. What do you think about when you come by yourself, beautiful? This week has been hell for me in that respect. I'm too damn tired to think of anything but your sweet face before I fall asleep. My fantasies run the gamut, I think. LOL I dream of touching you...everywhere. But I also can't stop thinking about our last phone conversation. Fuck, Bella... I want your mouth on me. Sometimes, it's all I can think about. Most of all, I just want to bury myself inside of you, finally connect with you the way my heart aches to.

I don't know if I'll get to write to you before we leave out of here, but I promise that you will hear from me as soon as we land in Germany.

You're all I need in this life, Bella. It's like a weight has been lifted off of my chest now that I'm getting the fuck out of here. Now I can promise you this... Come October, love, I will come to you, and we _will_ start our lives together. No more fear, no more war. Just the two of us. You hear me?

I love you so fucking much,  
Edward

P.S. Don't you guys DARE forget to celebrate! LOL Have one for us, too. Believe me, sweetheart, we plan on having a few once in Germany.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I know that you guys are ultra excited about the boys' transfer to stateside, and I know that Edward just mentioned October. Just...hang in there. All will be revealed. I promise. :)**

**We apologize again for the drama yesterday morning concerning Chapter 58. It was a glitch in the formatting that FFn didn't particularly take to. LOL Whatever... **rolls eyes** It's all fixed now.**

**A note before you go... MacDill AFB in Tampa isn't used for training like we are writing about. It's mainly communications and such. However, we are taking creative license for this situation. I lived in Tampa for well over 13 years, so I chose that as their location simply for familiarity for me to write about. Okay? There will be pics of places and things, I promise.**

**So now...we will see you tomorrow. Much love from us. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	61. Chapter 61: Bella

**A/N #1: Whew! Another great email from Sarge, huh? Some sweet, sexy words...and headed to Germany! Yay! Thank you guys for the great reviews & all the love! Now let's see what Bella has to say. :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Fri, May 28, 2010 at 5:08 P.M.  
Date Received: Sat, May 29, 2010 at 5:08 A.M.  
Subject: I'll have a few for you, babe.

Hey, sweets.

Sorry I'm just now emailing! I slept in until 10:00 and then went straight to the school to clean out my room. It took longer than I'd thought it was going to. Alice came by at noon, having finished with her classroom. I just waved her off and told her to have fun with Rose. I ended up not getting out until close to 2:00. When I got home, I grabbed a sandwich, and I've been catching up on housework since then. We're going out to celebrate tonight like you ordered. ;) I think we're going to come back here after a couple of hours at the club and finish celebrating here, so I want to be sure we have the space to hang out without my clutter lying around! LOL

I wish you'd had more time to email, simply because I miss you when I don't hear from you, but I totally understood, babe. Whatever gets you home faster, huh?

And just so you know...the photo is now in a frame, attached to the wall. It's not going anywhere, so if you want it, you have to come stay here with me. Think you can handle that, Sarge? *grin* Ahh, the dog tags. I've been wearing them all day. Rest assured, they've been noticed. I didn't even bother sticking them in my shirt today, since I am not teaching now. ;) Mike walked by and gave them a look, but he didn't say a word. *snort* Anyway, I love them, because they just make me feel that much closer to you. Soon...I won't need them, and for that... Yeah, just so damn grateful.

I'm SO glad you got the package! I have no idea what they would've done with it if it had arrived after you'd left! LOL It did come at the perfect time, didn't it? Share the cookies with Em & Jazz, ok, babe? Just a couple. ;) They helped you make it back in one piece, and for that, I owe them more than just a few baked goods.

Oh baby... You really want to know what I think about when I touch myself? Before you, it was always sexy stories I read online or...yeah, I've been known to look at and watch some porn in my day. Now? It's you, Sarge. Every. Damn. Time. I think about your sexy voice, about those long fingers... And God, your tongue, Edward... I watched you lick your lips a couple of times on Skype, and fuck me if it wasn't one of the hottest things I've ever seen. I dream about you between my thighs, using that tongue and those fingers to bring me to orgasm. And fuck... I want to see your cock, Edward. I think about tasting it and feeling it spreading me wide. That... That is what I think about when I make myself come, Edward. _You._

I love you, Edward, more and more every day. I never realized how empty my life felt until you came into it. And now, we're so close to finally seeing one another for the first time. I can't stop smiling! Can the girls and I meet you guys at the airport?

Talk to you soon.

Love,  
Bella

P.S. How did you know my middle name, btw? One of the guys had to have squealed, huh? I'm not a huge fan of it, but it was my grandmother's name, so...

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, May 29, 2010 at 1:32 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, May 30, 2010 at 1:32 A.M.  
Subject: Oh good God...

My head is spinning. Edward, make it stop! lol (That's a little laugh, because a big one would hurt my poor noggin...)

Last night is a blur, but let me see if I can remember everything... The girls came over around 6:00 last night. We had some pasta for the carbs, since we knew we'd be drinking, and then got dressed up and headed to the club. We ended up deciding to take a cab so we didn't have to worry about a DD. The bartenders and bouncers all know us, so they kept an eye on us while we drank, but even so, we didn't get totally drunk there. We figured it wasn't safe to celebrate as hard as we wanted to there, so about 10:30, we caught a cab back to my house. After we changed into more comfortable clothes, we started making drinks here – you name it, we made it. I think we each had at least one margarita, a New York Sour, and a couple of shots. We finally passed out after downing a bottle of water around... 3AM. I've only thrown up once since I got up a few minutes ago, so that's something, I guess. Just don't offer me food! *groans at the thought of food*

I'm going to go now so I can throw up again... Blech.

Love you!

Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Hehehehe So the girls celebrated. :) She wants to meet the boys (ok, she wants to meet Sarge ;) ) at the airport. Surprise! LOL We'll see if that comes to fruition. :)**

**Now, leave us some love and then go check out what Sarge has to say...and I believe Deb has a surprise for you at the end. ;) *hugs* – Jenny**


	62. Chapter 62: Edward

**A/N #1: Eeep! Germany...just that much closer to stateside! :) It's official. The boys are out of the desert. Feel free to do the happy dance. I did when we got this far! LOL I did...and it wasn't pretty. XD Anyway, guess Sarge will wanna check in with his girl, so let's see...**

**~oOo~**

**Ramstein Air Base, Germany... Monday, May 31, 2010 at 7:26 P.M.**

"Hey, Sarge!" Emmett called as I ran my fingers over my head where my hair was growing out again. "Go call Bells, and then we'll head out for a beer, okay?"

"Yup, got it," I sighed, my heart aching to talk to my girl.

I didn't give a shit about going out, really, but a beer sounded damn good. We hadn't been able to drink in Afghanistan, so we were going to take advantage of the little bit of freedom Germany allowed us. Plus, after sand and heat and desert, the lush green of Germany was too much to resist.

I made my way down to where we could use the phone, falling into a chair. My fingers couldn't dial Bella quickly enough.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey, beautiful," I sighed in relief that just the sound of her voice brought to me.

"Hi, babe!" she sang, sounding happy and perfect. "Where are you?"

"We landed here at Ramstein last night, and we had to attend a class first thing this morning," I told her. "We just now had a chance to catch our breaths. How are you feeling, my little hungover girl?" I chuckled.

"Oh," she moaned. "It was awful, Edward. Trust me when I tell you that we had a drink for you, us, and probably people we shouldn't have. I'm better today, but be grateful you didn't see me Saturday."

I laughed and groaned in sympathy for her. "You poor thing. I said celebrate, sweetheart, not give yourself alcohol poisoning."

She giggled. "I know, but we couldn't help it. Just knowing you guys are out of that desert was too much. I don't think I can explain just what you guys getting out there means to us."

"I know, baby. Believe me," I sighed, sinking into my chair. "God, I've missed your voice. I've read your emails, but tell me what I've missed anyway."

"Okay," she snickered before doing just that. She retold everything that she'd done since the last time we'd spoken on the phone – the end of her school year, the happiness at hearing the guys and I were getting out of Afghanistan, drinks, cleaning her classroom, Mike's new attitude toward her, and getting the things I'd sent her.

"Oh, babe, it smelled so good," she chuckled, and I could see her in my mind – the sweet, slow shake of her head with a tinge of blush to her cheeks.

"I don't know how," I laughed, shrugging. "It's not like I wear cologne or anything."

A low moan sounded over the line. "Really? You smell that way naturally?"

Again, I laughed. "I don't know, Bella. Maybe it's my soap or detergent or something. I only slept in the damn thing one time!"

"Well, I want another one!" she chuckled. "I'll send this one back to you when you reach Tampa, and I'll trade you."

"Done, sweetheart," I said with a grin, thinking she could have my entire wardrobe if it made her that damn happy. "Whatever you want. It's yours."

"So how long will you be there, babe?" she asked, and I could hear her shift on the other end of the line.

"Just the week. We've got a few classes to attend because we're taking this new training back with us. They've got to teach us how to teach others. It has something to do with giving us down time, too. We've only just been removed from combat, so they are making sure that we're all...okay. Mentally and physically."

"Another checkup, Sarge?" she asked, but there was a purr to her voice that made me smile.

"Yeah, something like that. More like evaluations. Once we're all cleared and we've finished the class, we'll head out at the end of the week, most likely Friday or Saturday," I explained.

"And then...stateside?"

"Yes, stateside, beautiful," I reassured her. "At least there's only nine hours difference from me to you for now. Soon, it'll only be three. We're narrowing it down."

"Slowly," she muttered, but I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Yeah, slowly, love," I snickered. "Which reminds me... Jasper did some calling around today. We've decided to rent a house in Tampa together off base. It'll be better that way – a little more...normal. We're tired of seeing everyone in their underwear."

The sweet giggle that echoed over the line made me laugh because I knew I'd just left myself wide fucking open.

"Hmm, Sarge... I can't even fathom getting tired of seeing you in your underwear. Can't sympathize, really..." Her false sincerity was too damn funny.

"Hush, you sexy thing. Just imagine ten smelly men at the end of the day, all scratching their asses and farting. Go ahead..." I laughed, my head falling back.

"Nope," she said, popping the last consonant. "Can't get any further than you in your underwear, Edward. Sorry. And I absolutely refuse to think of Emmett's obnoxious sounds. He can be such a pig."

"Yes, well...now you see the problem," I told her. "Emmett times nine. Thank you very much."

"Ew," she scoffed. "No, no, no... I'm not listening...la, la, la."

Chuckling, I just shook my head. "I love you, silly girl."

"Love you, too." She sighed deeply. "You have to go, don't you?"

I grimaced, debating on telling the guys to go without me, but I'd promised all of my men that we'd meet down at the local pub. Hell, I'd rather talk all night with Bella, but a promise was a promise.

"I do, sweetheart. The guys want to go for a beer, and I promised them I'd go. It's the first time in a really long time that we're able to go out," I explained, hoping she wasn't upset.

"Out? Where?"

"There's a local pub not far from base where most of the soldiers go. It's supposed to be pretty good, and most of the village speaks English," I answered, frowning when the other end of the line went really quiet.

"Okay," she conceded softly. "I'll email you tonight so you'll have something for tomorrow. I know you'll be busy this week. Answer when you can?" The last thing she said came across sounding like a question.

"Always, you know that." I frowned, but looked up when I heard my name.

"Sarge! Let's go, man!" Emmett boomed. "Hi, Bellsy!" he practically screamed into the phone in my hand.

"Shut up, Emmett," I snapped, shoving him away. "Bella, I..."

"Gotta go," she finished for me. "Be safe, Edward. Love you."

Before I could say it back, the line went dead.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Beers with the boys! :D That's gotta feel pretty damn good. So Bella got a little quiet there at the end. Why do you think that is?**

**I'd like to invite more of you to join us over on FB...the link is on our profile. We have an awful lot of fun in there – music links, pics, teasers, long debates over just about everything. LOL Anyway, come join us. :)**

**I want to wish all of my fellow Americans a Happy Fourth of July! :) If you aren't American, we don't mind...come drink and set off fireworks with us! LOL Oh, and hotdogs...gotta have those. ;)**

**Now tomorrow, we have another surprise for you – a double posting! :D I know you all seem to like those just a little. ;) So leave some love, and we'll see you tomorrow. Have a safe holiday. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	63. Chapter 63: Bella

**A/N #1: I know, I know. You guys are wondering what in the world is up with Bella after the end to their phone call. So go on. See what she has to say for herself, and I'll see you at the bottom. :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Mon, May 31, 2010 at 9:21 P.M.  
Date Received: Tues, June 01, 2010 at 6:21 A.M.  
Subject: Long day

Edward,

I want to apologize for my abrupt ending to our last phone call. I suddenly realized something and just needed to get off the phone so I could process it thoroughly.

First, I want to say how glad I am that you guys arrived safely in Germany. I'm glad you're out of the war zone and on your way home to the US. I know that's a relief for the families and friends of all the men in your squad.

Second, I want you to know I spent all day today thinking about things. I'm sure you're relieved to be away from everything in Afghanistan. Even now, when you're in Germany and in training, you have so much more freedom than you had forty-eight hours ago. In a week, there will be that much more – the privacy of your own place, the time to spend however you want (whether it be alone or...with someone).

That freedom isn't something you've had since you were a kid, really. Your mom got sick while you were a teenager, and you spent time helping take care of her. Then you had to become an adult before you were ready and take care of your dad when he fell apart. Through most of that, you had Tanya, and of course, after your dad died, you didn't have the freedom to do anything you wanted when you joined the Army. That must be driving you kind of crazy. I think it probably would anyone in your situation, so it's not something I can fault you for.

There are going to be so many opportunities for you now. Christ, Edward... I've seen your picture. I've heard your voice. Women are going to be falling all over themselves to be with you. Whether it is there in Germany with the English-speaking (or non-English-speaking...whichever is your bag...) native women or in Tampa with the prettier, hotter, younger girls in bikinis in the Florida sun, you'll have so many options, you won't know what to do with them all.

Why would you want to miss all of those opportunities after so long of having no freedom to choose who or what you want? *shakes head* It was crazy of me to think that you would want to do that...to still be alone when you don't have to be, simply because you're waiting to meet me face to face.

I love you, Edward. You're an amazing man and one that I can see spending the rest of my life with. But if you need to grab onto the freedom that has been given to you, I understand. I don't like it...but I understand.

All my love,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Monday, May 31, 2010 at 10:02 P.M.**

I finished the email to Edward and curled up on the couch under the blanket. The sick feeling in my stomach was worse than it had ever been before. I had such a great guy, and I felt like I was throwing it all away. But how could I not tell him I understood if he decided he needed his newfound freedom? I loved him with every ounce of my being, and I just wanted him to have every opportunity in life. If he decided I wasn't what he ultimately wanted, he needed to know I was prepared to step aside.

No matter how much it hurt.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Is it more clear now? She's not mad at him for going out like some of you thought. She's incredibly insecure, especially after the whole stuff with Mike. She knows that this will be his first time back on friendly soil (either in Germany or in Florida) without being tied down to Skankya (Thanks to one reviewer for the name. lol), so she's trying to be honorable and say she understands if he wants to have some options – because without her, he actually HAS options for the first time in a while. Sure, he'll choose her. We all know that. But remember that he gave her the option to quit before they got involved further, right? Same type of deal here, even if she's completely off base. ;)**

**Now, leave some love for poor Bella and give her some squeezy hugs, 'cause she could use them, and then go see what Sarge has to say in response. ;) – Jenny**


	64. Chapter 64: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh boy... Okay, let's hear what Sarge has to say about Bella's conclusions. Hmm? She was trying to be selfless, but still... And just to let you know...this might've been one of the hardest chapters I wrote in this fic...one of them anyway. And I ended up really loving it.**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Tues, June 01, 2010 at 9:14 P.M.  
Date Received: Tues, June 01, 2010 at 12:14 P.M.  
Subject: I don't want FREEDOM, Bella...

I want you.

Did you really think that just because I was out of a dangerous situation, I would just toss away everything we have, Isabella? Just throw out all that we've built so far? Do you think so little of what I've told you that you would doubt me that much? You need to understand something right now! I wasn't writing you, calling you, telling you things about myself that I'd never told anyone just to bide my fucking time. You weren't...aren't just a plaything for me, Bella.

My sweet, sweet girl, I love YOU. I don't want just someone. I don't want German women, Florida girls, or anyone else, for that matter. I'm not looking to just get laid. I don't want something empty or something just for a few hours. Yes, I do have opportunities to to do those things, Bella. I won't lie to you. And I know exactly what to do with them all... I fucking tell them no! There's nothing on this Earth that I want more than to come home to you, and I'm willing to wait. You're everything I've ever needed, wanted, or never even knew existed in not only a girlfriend, but my best friend.

You're right about a few things. I didn't have freedoms when I was younger. Yes, I took care of my parents. Yes, I was in a very unfulfilled relationship with Tanya. Yes, I answer to superiors in the Army every second of the damn day, but our definition of FREEDOM is completely different.

The word freedom for me conjures up images of you – of being able to truly be with you, to love you like I dream about. I want to kiss you, hand you my heart, body, and soul, and make love to you until we can't even see straight. Bella, you're all I think about. All the fucking time. Freedom to me means that I can finally be with the one person who I can tell anything to, who makes me laugh even hours after I've spoken to them, and who taught me how to smile again. There are no more "rare moments" anymore, my Bella. That's thanks to you.

Jesus, sweetheart, I know this is hard. It hasn't exactly been easy from the get-go, but I promise you that I can survive whatever hell has to offer as long as you're on the other side waiting for me. Please, please, please don't let that beautiful strength you have inside you fail me now. Don't lose faith in us, love. We can do this. And I swear to God, it's a choice I've made without hesitation. None. Period.

I'm so in love with you, Isabella Swan. The only thing that's driving me crazy is that I've got the most beautiful and caring thing on the other side of the world waiting for me, and I can't make time go any faster to get to her. I want it all with you, my love. I can see spending the rest of my life with you, playing the piano, sleeping in on the weekends, making love anytime we get the urge (which will be often, if I have anything to say about it), and picking out kittens. ;)

Miss Swan, did you so quickly forget the things I sent to you? You're not the only one worried that someone could so easily swoop in and take away the one thing that means everything. I hate that Mike wants you back, that Jacob hit on you, that any night out at a club, you could choose to not spend the night alone. It KILLS me to think that, but it's there. I sent you the picture of my parents so you would understand that I'm not taking anything between us lightly, baby. Nothing about our relationship is disposable to me.

At the beginning of this relationship, I couldn't make you promises. I can now. I promise you that you're the only woman for me, Bella. That's the only truth I know, and I don't know how to convince you that you're it for me.

You own my heart, beautiful. It's not mine anymore.

Yours always,  
Edward

P.S. Oh, and Bella... The house in Tampa? We decided to rent it because we thought maybe we'd want three girls to visit, and private bedrooms would be a hell of a lot better than the fucking barracks at the base. Okay?

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Damn, someone's not happy. I know you're itching to click next, and I get it. So go on. I know you want to see what Bella has to say about that. And I'm sure you're worried.**

**Mooches, Deb. :)**


	65. Chapter 65: Bella

**A/N #1: I swear, when Deb sent me the previous chapter for the first time, I sobbed. Hard. I could just...feel the emotion pouring out of him...and honestly? So could Bella. Read on to see what she has to say in response. ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Tues, June 01, 2010 at 12:32 P.M.  
Date Received: Tues, June 01, 2010 at 9:32 P.M.  
Subject: Fuck, I'm so stupid...

Babe, I'm so sorry. I swear, I didn't mean to doubt you or your feelings for me. If you aren't too mad at me, can we Skype? Or even just...talk on the phone? I need to see you, or at least hear your voice.

I love you...

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Tuesday, June 01, 2010 at 12:47 P.M.**

After sending Edward's email, I curled up on the couch with the laptop – Skype open and logged in – my cell phone, and a half empty box of tissues. I'd been wearing his shirt since I changed for bed last night, and while I waited to see if he'd contact me back right away, I was worrying his dog tags between my fingers.

I really had been an idiot. There was no excuse for it, really... I'd been scared, my insecurities had come through, and I had let both myself and Edward down. I'd hurt him, I could tell, and that thought killed me. I could only hope now that he would let me make it u—

The blooping noise from my laptop speakers that signaled a new Skype call shocked me out of my thoughts. With a shaky hand, I reached out to press _Accept,_ and then waited, chewing on my fingernail, for the call to connect.

Within moments, Edward appeared on my screen. He looked as emotionally-wrecked as I felt, and tears welled up again, knowing that I had caused that look.

"Oh, Bella," he sighed, running his hand over his head as I swiped at my tears with the back of my hand. "Don't cry, love. We'll get past this, I promise."

Sniffling, I nodded. "I know. Edward, I'm so sorry. There's really no excuse, except my old fears cropping up. I've never been good enough before, so for a moment, I thought maybe it would be better to give you an out, to let you go, rather than face the heartbreak later if you decided I wasn't worth it...that what you felt was grounded in the war and what you were experiencing at the time and not reality."

He was shaking his head even as I spoke. "Sweetheart, there's nothing about how I feel for you that isn't real. Afghanistan, Seattle, the moon, now, fifty years from now... Wherever I am, whenever it is, that is never going to fucking change. You need to understand that, Isabella. You're it for me, baby."

Drawing my knees up, I curled my arms around them and rested my chin on top, quiet as I watched him. He was bare chested, showing off the bruises that were beginning to fade and turn sickly yellow and green, his eyes wide and honest as he stared straight through the camera into my soul.

Nodding again, I whispered, "I believe you, Edward. I want all those things with you, too – so much it scares me. I've never felt like this for anyone before, and I guess when I realized you had other choices, I thought you would choose someone else. It wouldn't be the first time a man chose someone else over me, so—"

"That fucking dog," Edward growled, startling me when he pounded his fist on the desk beside his laptop, making the screen shake. "Bella, sweetheart, you're worth a hundred times what that ass is. He is the stupidest son of a bitch on the planet that he didn't treasure you when he had you. Trust me when I tell you that I am not going anywhere."

I was crying again, my tears dripping down my face to land on the shirt covering my knees.

Edward's voice softened. "I love you, Bella, more than I ever thought possible. No amount of distance from any war zone is going to change that. Please, say you believe me, sweetheart. It's killing me to think you don't know that."

"No! No, Edward, I do. I never really thought you didn't. I just..." I paused, realizing that what I'd been planning to say didn't matter. "You know what? There really isn't an excuse or reason. What matters is that I was an idiot, I know you love me, and I love you just as much. Can you forgive me for freaking out for a little bit?"

The slow smile that graced his face warmed me straight to my very core. "Baby, there's nothing to forgive. As long as you don't doubt my love for you or doubt your ability to _be loved_ again, we're all good. And Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"I will spend the rest of my life proving to you just how loved you are, so prepare yourself for that..."

I laughed softly, giving him a smile of my own. "I can handle that," I promised him.

"Good."

We were quiet for a minute, just enjoying the moment, before I thought of something.

"Hey, Sarge...you never did answer my question about the girls and me making the trip to Florida to meet your plane." I grinned teasingly until I saw his smile falter.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I hate to tell you, but I checked with the guys in charge here. We're catching a flight on one of the cargo planes from here to Florida, not taking a commercial jet, and they don't allow civilians to meet these planes."

Tears welled up in my eyes again as I realized suddenly just how damn much I'd been looking forward to that.

"I don't think I can wait until October to see you in person," I murmured, swiping away the few tears that had fallen. "I'm not even sure I can wait until my trip to visit my mom later this summer."

Scrubbing a hand over his face, Edward shook his head. "I can't, either, love," he echoed, his face pained. "We'll find a way, Isabella. You talk to the girls, sort out your schedule with Charlie and your mom. The guys and I will see how it goes at work. I'm sure we'll be busy at first, but I bet it'll calm down to a dull roar quickly. We can talk next month about a visit, okay?"

I nodded, biting my lower lip for a moment in order to keep more tears at bay, and smiled, which had Edward smiling in return.

He glanced away for a second, and when he looked back, the smile had been replaced by a small frown. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I need to go. There are others waiting for the privacy of this little room, and I need to get some sleep. We have another training session in the morning before five o'clock."

Sighing, I nodded. "That's okay," I told him, smiling softly. "That means the start of one day closer to being back home."

He grinned. "That it does, Miss Swan. We're okay now?"

"Better than okay," I assured him. "Email when you can?"

"As soon as I break for the night tonight, love, I promise."

"I love you, Edward," I murmured, reaching out and touching his cheek on the screen, wishing it was his skin and not just his image on the laptop.

"For the rest of my life, Isabella," he said firmly, touching his chest where his heart lay.

I reached up to hang up the connection but smirked just before pushing the button. "Oh, and Sarge?" At his raised eyebrow, I teased, "A private house and private bedrooms? Not private enough for what I want to do with you, but it'll work...for now."

I held my giggle at his stunned expression until I'd clicked the button to disconnect our call, and then I laughed as I rolled onto my back, wiping fresh tears from my eyes, feeling more relaxed and relieved than I had in almost twenty-four hours.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: That was a much, much needed Skype call, wasn't it? They are both feeling just like you guys are feeling. It's time for them to meet face to face. It won't happen next chapter, or even the next handful of chapters, but I promise... It IS coming, and sooner than October. ;)**

**Now, one more chapter for today, so leave us some love and then see what else Sarge has to say. :) *hugs* – Jenny**


	66. Chapter 66: Edward

**A/N #1: Everyone take a deep breath and let it out for me... Good! ;) Just a bit of nerves, a little insecurity, and a whole lot of just...need. I can't think of any other way to put it. Bella's allowed a few freakouts. All women are... LOL :) Let's see how Sarge is handling his classes...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Wed, June 02, 2010 at 8:31 P.M.  
Date Received: Wed, June 02, 2010 at 11:31 A.M.  
Subject: Would that count as our first fight?

Hey, my beautiful girl.

I told you that I would screw up at some point. I should have told you ages ago that you're everything to me, my love. I'm a ruined man. No one else will ever measure up to you. And I haven't even kissed you yet. LOL I should've made sure you understood that I would rather have talked to you all night long than to go for a few beers. I didn't even want to go, but I'd promised my men that I would. You, sweetheart, will always come first.

And sweetheart, I know we already talked about this, but I don't know if I can wait until October, either, and I'd hate to have to go AWOL when I'm this close to getting out. ;) As much as I would love seeing your beautiful face first thing, it won't happen at the airport. If anything, when you and the girls come to Florida to see your mom, you can make a side trip down to Tampa? I PROMISE you that we'll figure something out soon. Believe me, love, I completely understand. I honestly don't know if I can last much longer without being able to touch you.

Germany is beautiful, Bella. Remember our talk about travel? You should see this country, baby. I would love to bring you here. I don't get to see much, but what I have seen is old, pretty, and surrounded by mountains and trees. Maybe I'm just happy it's not desert sand. LOL I'd like to check out Berlin, see some of the places I've only read about in WWII history books. I'd also like to pay my respects, visit a concentration camp. As morbid as that sounds, those people deserve way more honor than any soldier.

I've decided we can't take classes together, Isabella. LOL I use my laptop in class, and your picture as my wallpaper alone drives me to distraction. ;) I'm afraid if you were sitting next to me, all bets would be off. I wouldn't be able to stop myself from passing you notes, reaching out and touching you, or whispering things to you just to see you squirm. Nope. We'd fail the class...or cause a scene.

Question time, my sexy girl. Where's the one place on your body that when touched, turns you on? For me, it's fingers in my hair – when I have hair, and trust me, now that I'm out of the desert, I may let it grow out a bit. It relaxes me when played with but turns me on when pulled.

Oh, by the way... I have to admit that long before I used it, I actually asked the guys about your middle name. I was curious as to what the "M" in your email address stood for.

The guys and I secured a place in Tampa today. It's in an older neighborhood pretty close to MacDill and not far from the water, though we'll still have to rent cars. It's already furnished because the owners of the place usually rent to military people and their families. It has three bedrooms, two baths, a decent sized living room, and even a front porch. It looks nice, though I don't really care at this point. I just need someplace to sleep and shower for the next few months. (And guess who gets the master bedroom and bathroom, Isabella? I told them I'd prepay for all of it if they took the smaller rooms. LOL)

What'll be interesting is figuring out who cooks. You should know this now, sweetheart... If it doesn't come in a box or isn't microwavable, then I'm kinda useless in the kitchen. Does that end things now? Have I ruined the fantasy of just how perfect you thought I was? LOL I can tip really well, though. If that's any consolation...

I've got to go, baby. I need to go over my notes for tomorrow, and then Emmett and Jasper need to be schooled in darts. **grin** Two more days here, and then we're back to the States. I can't wait. You know what that means, don't you? It means I can get a cell phone again, Bella. We can talk all we want, anytime we want. I can text you the very second I need to tell you that I love you or miss you or want you. And fuck, I need McDonald's! LMAO It's the simple shit I've missed...

I love you so damn much, and that won't change. Ever. Don't you forget that, baby.

Yours always,  
Edward

P.S. Don't think that I've forgotten what you said. I'm glad to know that it's me you think of when you bring yourself to orgasm, Isabella. Trust me, we share the same dream. I can't wait to taste you, to tease you with my tongue. I can't wait to feel you come around my fingers as I suck you hard into my mouth. Because, beautiful...you need to be so very wet for me when I finally enter you. I want you to be able to feel every inch of me when I finally am able to show you how much I truly love you.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Okay, so the beginnings of a plan to meet are starting to form, but we've yet to hear from the girls.**

**I want to thank everyone for every theory and debate concerning poor Bella. LOL Some of you were spot on, and some...weren't. ;) I loved every second of it. The best was those of you that just said...I trust you! That's awesome, because you should. We haven't led you astray yet. Just keep the faith, guys.**

**Okay...we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	67. Chapter 67: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys so much for all the comments yesterday. Most of you were pretty positive toward poor Bella. Yeah, she hurt Edward, but hey... She's human. Ya know? She's gonna make mistakes. ;)**

**Now, let's see what's on her mind today, hmm?**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, June 02, 2010 at 3:27 P.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, June 03, 2010 at 12:27 A.M.  
Subject: I got a job!

Hi, babe.

So...plans for this summer kind of changed. I'm still going to see my dad, but remember that I told you I'd emailed my mom about us coming down there to see her? Turns out she's busy all summer. She emailed this morning and said she's traveling with Phil for some of it, is involved with a new acting "troupe" (her word, not mine) that travels around different areas around Jacksonville, and is taking cooking classes and yoga. She said maybe I could come down in September, after baseball. Of course, I'll have school then...but whatever. *rolls eyes*

Anyway, I decided I needed to save more this summer, rather than spend more, so instead of taking classes, I got a job! I was looking around some of the job boards and came across a freelance editor position for a romance novel publisher. It all happened so fast. Once I told them about my college curriculum and teaching experience, they sent me a couple of pages of an unedited work and had me make corrections and send them back in with some example work of my own writing. Two hours later, they called and offered me the job. It's something I can do on my own time, and as long as I meet their deadline for the work they give me, I can do as much or as little as I want.

Edward, I don't blame you at all for what happened before. Like I said... I let my own insecurities and fear overrule everything else because, babe, I *do* know you love me. If I hadn't been so stupid about everything, we wouldn't have had any problem at all. Part of the problem may have been that my hormones are all out of whack. I should have realized that because being on the birth control pill keeps me so regular, and I'm about 5 days shy of my next period. It doesn't always make me crazy, but obviously...sometimes it does. Regardless, I'm sorry for the way I reacted.

Oh, I would love to visit Germany. We had an exchange student from there when I still lived in Phoenix. The pictures she showed me always looked so great. And I totally get what you mean about wanting to visit the concentration camps. It isn't so you can gawk or just see where history was made but to honor the ones who spent time there and those who lost their lives. No one should visit Germany without seeing at least one old camp and learning the history behind it, in my opinion. Knowledge is power, and learning about what happened there can help us to prevent it from happening again, I think.

*snort* Ok then, Edward... No classes for us. ;) Although that thought is so very tempting. LOL

Mmm, one place on my body, huh? I have to narrow it down to two places, babe. My neck...I fucking love attention played to that part of my body. Sucking, biting, even just touching. The other is the space between my navel and my bikini line... For whatever reason, the skin is totally sensitive there. Just a light touch can make me wet and trembling. Even I can brush my fingers against there when I'm in that kind of mood and make myself even more turned on.

Speaking of questions... I have two for you today, Sarge... One, what's the sexiest thing a girl can wear to turn you on? For me? I love to see a guy in jeans that hang on his hip bones, looking like they are being held up by sheer will (or by his hard cock... *naughty*), either with or without a tight T-shirt. Mmm... That little vee right above a man's dick is just begging to be licked and nibbled. All those dips and ridges, pointing straight down to the main attraction? Yes, please.

My second question... How do you like your women groomed down there? There are a variety of options, you know... ;) You can go full-on wild, trimmed and groomed – but not shaved or waxed at all – a little landing strip or just a small amount of hair left on, or completely bare. So which is it, babe? (Just so you know...I'm withholding the answer as to what I've got going on down there until you can find out for yourself...)

That's great that you guys found a house! You've already secured it, so it's ready for you when you get there? I'm glad you have the master bedroom and bathroom, Sarge... We'll need it when I visit – cause you damn well better know I'll have to visit at some point, and we'll need the space! As for cooking... Well, I can always overnight some things, but really, you should get Jasper to whip you up some of his chili sometime. The man has it going on. Once you get here to Seattle, honey, I'll be glad to do all the cooking...cause that just means you get to clean up after! *laugh*

I hope your training is going well. I can't wait until you get stateside so you can have a cell phone. I want to be able to call you and surprise you sometime.

Give my love to the guys – although tell them I'm on to them about spilling secrets like my middle name...Jasper Eugene Whitlock and Emmett Milhouse McCarty! ;)

I love you so much, Edward. Sometimes it scares me, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

Always and forever,  
Bella

P.S. Babe, I'll be glad to pull that hair anytime you want...although I have a feeling we won't need that to get you in the mood, will we? ;) Still, I can't wait to run my fingers through it. I love doing that...and knowing you would enjoy it? That makes it even better. xoxo

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Wednesday, June 02, 2010 at 11:47 P.M.**

I crawled into bed, Edward's dog tags around my neck, and sighed as I pulled the sheet up around me. I'd been so disappointed to hear from my mom about not having time for us to visit her. Not so much because I was sad I wouldn't be seeing _her_... That would have been nice, but I was used being last on her list, so that was nothing new. But I'd have been close enough to Tampa to make that short trip down to meet Edward, and now...

I didn't even know if it would be possible to visit him, even if we'd been in Jacksonville. He and the guys were there for work, not play. It wasn't like they had normal jobs, either, where they could just take time off if their wives or girlfriends came to town.

I wouldn't see the girls until Saturday because of scheduling. Alice was helping Esme with some charity thing she was involved in, and Rose was filling in at a friend's garage while his wife went in to have their baby on Thursday. Maybe when they came over for pizza on Saturday, I'd ask them about possibly visiting Florida sometime later in the summer, after the boys had gotten into the groove of things at work.

With that thought in my mind, I relaxed enough that I was able to close my mind off and slide into sleep.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Damn Renee... Screwing up the girls' plans... But I'm sure they won't let that deter them for long. ;)**

**Ok, so the PMS thing for Bella? That was me as I wrote Bella's emotional stuff the last few chapters. LOL**

**I'm still laughing at Emmett's & Jasper's middle names. Totally made up. It was so fun to think of them. haha**

**The guys are *thisclose* to being in Florida. So leave Bella & me some love and then head on over to see Sarge's response. :) – Jenny**


	68. Chapter 68: Edward

**A/N #1: I said this in a FB thread, but I'll say it again. Renee drives me CRAZY! Canon Renee, that is. That flippant, easily distracted shit is annoying. I hate it. No mother should be that flighty. LOL Okay, I feel better now. Anyway, only one more day in Germany, so let's see how Sarge is doing...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Thurs, June 03, 2010 at 10:45 P.M.  
Date Received: Thurs, June 03, 2010 at 1:45 P.M.  
Subject: Dishpan hands are SO worth it!

Hey, sweetheart.

So many things you're in trouble for, Miss Swan. I was useless after your last email. But let's get the serious stuff out of the way first.

Tomorrow is our last class here at Ramstein. We fly out of here Saturday morning. Everyone in my squad has been cleared (everything from our mental state to our physical...including STDs, which I'll admit that I was a bit worried about because of my ex...), including Wells, the guy that got hurt the same time I did. He's still hobbling around on crutches, but they said he can still assist in teaching once at MacDill. He's opted to re-up, so he has no choice but to come with us. He's just grateful that he's out of the war zone. :)

Second thing... They've given us a long weekend to get registered in, acclimate ourselves to the base, and settle into our place, so our first training day won't start until Tuesday. I'll call you as soon as we land, but I promise to call you again when I get a cell phone. I'll also know more about what my daily schedule will be like once we've started, so bear with me on that. From what they've explained, it's pretty set...almost 9-5, but like I said, I'll know more later.

And finally... Congratulations on the job, Miss Swan! Romance novels, huh? Perhaps if you need any _tips_, I might be of some assistance. I've been told I'm pretty damn sexy...repeatedly...by this really stunning brunette I know. So you just ask away, beautiful. LOL However, if money is an issue, baby...you know I'll take care of you. All you need do is ask. You know that, right?

Oh ho! And I owe you such a big, fat kiss, my love. Emmett's and Jasper's middle names proved to be not only hilarious (what were their mothers thinking?), but profitable. They'd kept them secret for so long that the rest of the squad started begging for them when I started laughing at your email. They put together a hundred bucks for that information. The boys, however, are upset with you. I have no doubt that you can handle them. ;)

Now for what you're in so much trouble for, Isabella... I spent _hours_ lost in thought on exactly what I was going to do with the information you divulged to me. Should I tease that skin just below your navel with my fingers as I lick your neck? Should I just trail one single finger from one spot all the way down to the other, my touch never stopping and oh so light? Or should I just mark that bikini area with my mouth? It would leave a sign that said, "Edward was here." See my problem? Scenario after scenario rattled around in my mind all damn day. And guess what? Totally didn't learn a fucking thing in class. **raises an eyebrow at you** Yet just one more reason we could never be in class together. Right?

What's sexy on a woman? Hmm... Maybe it's cliché, but one thing that never seems to get old is a woman wearing nothing but a man's button down shirt. Preferably white, but I suppose that color doesn't matter. It's very intimate to me, because that means at some point, all clothes were completely off. Though, in addition to that...nothing screams feminine, sexy, and just plain pretty as much as matching underwear – lacy, silky, and very small. And on you, Isabella...blue.

Grooming? It's so not fair that you're blackmailing (or is it extortion?) me for my answer, because I'm incredibly curious, Miss Swan. However, I'll answer anyway, simply because I'm not sure I can tell you no to anything. I like a woman to look like a woman, not a prepubescent child. On the other hand, I don't really want her to look like a cavewoman, either. That shit went out with seventies porn. (And if you've even MET Emmett, then you know he's got that shit! It's rather frightening.) LOL BUT...lack of hair can add to...hmm...sensitivity. It enhances every touch, every kiss. I suppose my official answer is...how did you put it? Landing strip? LOL Yeah, that. But trust me, Isabella...I won't give two shits what you have once I see you. I'll be way too busy to ponder your grooming techniques.

My turn, sexy girl... Do you have any tattoos? I don't, but I've not exactly had time to get any ink. I was just curious if you had some that I couldn't quite see in those beautiful pictures you sent me.

I'm so very sorry that your mother canceled on you...again, my sweet girl. Something about that still bothers me so much for you. :( I know that you make other plans – like visiting your dad and taking classes, but... I mean... You've told me repeatedly that you, the girls, and the guys are my family. I hope that you know that works both ways, my love. I'm just as much your family, too, and I hear that Florida makes for a fantastic vacation destination. ;) So even if your plans fell through, I'd give anything to see you this summer, Bella. I know that may not be possible – at this point, I'm not even sure what our schedules will be like. But I'd like to think that even if it's just for the weekend, sometime between now and October, we'll finally be able to meet.

I've got to get some sleep, sweetheart. I love you so very much. So much, in fact, it makes it hard to breathe sometimes.

Always dreaming of you,  
Edward

P.S. Thanks for letting me know that Jasper can cook. It turns out that Emmett can grill. We may actually survive this living arrangement. Unfortunately, I'll be cleaning the kitchen nonstop. LOL Although, I'm on my knees begging you to keep the cookies coming! I'm not really sure I could live without them.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I swear...Sarge and that cookie addiction... LOL XD A little of everything in this email...grooming, clean bill of health, begging for cookies, and the selling of Emmett's and Jasper's middle names. LOL**

**Like Jenny told you last posting, Sarge and Bella's meeting is coming. It's just not as instant as some of you would like it to be. ;) It's only the first week of _June..._ Hmm? They have time to make plans. The boys haven't even set foot in their house yet. LOL But they won't be waiting until October. That is totally the truth.**

**Okay, see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	69. Chapter 69: Bella

**A/N #1: Gotta love that Edward has now said he wants Bella to visit, even if it's just for the weekend. Gah. The man drives me just as insane as he does Bella & all you readers. ;) Thank you for all the love, especially after FFn's fail yesterday! Now, let's see what our love birds have to say today, hmm? :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Thurs, June 03, 2010 at 8:36 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, June 04, 2010 at 5:36 A.M.  
Subject: You're determined to make me go up in flames, aren't you?

When you get this email, only one more day until you leave Germany for the U.S. I'm so excited, I can barely stand it! LOL I'm glad everyone's been cleared and is ready to go. I'm glad they are giving you guys a long weekend to get settled...cause I looked it up, and it's a 9 hour flight from Germany to Florida, so after you land and finally get kicked free, it's going to be Saturday night, so you need that extra day! At least you won't have to do a ton to get moved in and stuff. As for your schedule, just let me know when you can if that 9-5 changes. That'll be early in the morning for me, but the time you get off will be damn nice. I'm going to love only having a 3-hour difference between us. (Not as good as nothing, but better than 9 or 12!)

Mmm, yeah, babe, I'm sure you could give me PLENTY of tips. ;) But we'll save those just for me...the hell if I'm sharing them with the world! *grin* Edward, I appreciate the offer to take care of me, but I can't let you do that. I need to be able to take care of myself. I've done it for years (although not always spectacularly well, as evidenced by the fact that I have no savings whatsoever...), and I'm determined to do better at this saving money stuff. That's not to say I won't let you help once you are here...just that I'm not going to sit back and not contribute what I can right now. I love you for offering, though.

Pffft, I'm so not scared of Emmett & Jasper. ;) I'll just ply them with baked goods, and they'll be putty in my fingers. Just ask their wives! It works every time—sex from them, cookies and brownies and cupcakes and lemon bars...whatever...from me. Glad you were able to make some money off it, though. *snicker* They've been able to keep that shit secret for far too long. It's about time I was able to pay them back for some of the teasing they've given me over the years! LOL

Edward Masen...I'm going to self-combust one of these days, I swear. I would be perfectly happy with any touch you give me, so whether it's your fingers or your mouth, my neck or my stomach... Just... Yes, please. *fans self* I'm not sure I'm going to last long at all whenever you finally touch me!

You know...I've never worn a guy's button down shirt before. In fact, aside from your T-shirt, which I've got on right now (that's ALL I've got on...just FYI), and my dad's old shirt, I've never worn any guy's clothing. But I love the idea of slipping your shirt on when I get out of bed, rolling up the sleeves a few times, and buttoning just a few buttons to hold it together. Then you can unbutton it a few minutes later, yeah?

You should have heard me giggling about your blackmail/extortion comment... It's not blackmail or extortion, my love. It's just withholding information until you can find it out for yourself. Wouldn't you rather be surprised? Wouldn't you rather undress me for yourself...pull down my little blue panties to find out what is underneath? Or just slip your fingers underneath for a quick feel if you can't wait until we get somewhere private for you to learn more? I think you would...

Ahh, tattoos... I do, in fact, have one. I rebelled when I was 16 and still living in Phoenix. I wasn't really popular at school. I was smart, quiet, shy...really tended to keep to myself. I was also pretty damn clumsy. So one day during my freshman year, I tripped going down the stairs at school and ended up giving myself two black eyes and a multitude of bruises, so my face was pretty damn black and blue for a while. Kids at that age are merciless, and they started calling me Black Swan. So when I turned 16, I found a place where I could get a tattoo done that wouldn't question my age, and after school one day, I got that very thing done on the back of my left shoulder. It's not too big, and there's only black with a little bit of green shading, but at the time, it was kind of a "fuck you" to all the kids who were still calling me that simply to make fun of me. My dad about had a conniption when he saw it the first time that next summer. LOL

Ok, so you asked about tattoos... I'm asking about piercings. I didn't see any holes in any of the pictures I've seen, but are there any elsewhere? I'm not opposed to guys with piercings... I've never been with a guy who had one anywhere, but I've heard they can be...fun. LOL As for me, my ears are pierced, although I don't wear earrings very often, and I've thought about getting...other things pierced. ;)

Oh, and just so you know... You mentioned kind of being worried about things because of your ex... Yeah, I was right there with you. A quick trip to the doctor the other day proved my ass of an ex didn't leave me with any parting gifts, either, so I totally get your relief!

Anyway, I'd better go. I worked today for a while, so I want to relax with some TV before I crash for the night.

I love you, babe.

Bella

P.S. Thank you for your sweet words about my mom, Edward. As sad as it may seem, I'm pretty used to it by now. I know you're my family now, too, babe, and I love you for that. xoxo

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Poor Bella. No one should be used to being treated that way by their mother. And what about that tattoo story, hmm? Kinda sad. :( (And totally made up. haha Definitely not one based on my real life! ;) )**

**Lots more flirting & innuendo in this chapter again. And only a day until Florida. Yay! :) Now, let's see what Sarge has to say in response. *hugs* – Jenny**


	70. Chapter 70: Edward

**A/N #1: Ah, the slow burn... ;) Okay, guys, this is it. They land in the States. :) I'll let you get to it. See me at the bottom for some details.**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, June 04, 2010 at 11:13 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, June 04, 2010 at 2:13 P.M.  
Subject: I can't fucking sleep...

Hey, beautiful.

I'm having the damnedest time getting to sleep. I have to be up before the sun, but I'm too excited. I'm sure I'll crash the fuck out as soon as we're in the plane, but for now, I just want to talk to you.

Bella, I _want_ to help you...in every way that means. I won't give up because I'm extremely stubborn. If you want to learn how to save money, sweetheart, I can show you. I've invested some of what my parents left me. It's an "out of sight, out of mind" sort of thing. Just promise me this... If there is a time that you are in a bind, will you please come to me? Please? With like...puppy dog eyes and a pouting lip please? ;) You've taken amazing care of me since the very beginning, and I want to return the favor. Think about it?

Black Swan? My poor, sweet girl. Hmm... I can't wait to see that tattoo. I promise to pay extra attention to it to make up for all the bad things that caused you to get it. In fact, there are a lot of things I look forward to uncovering, exploring, and learning about every inch of you, Isabella. That includes ink, piercings, scars, grooming techniques, and places I bet you didn't even know existed. You're so right, baby...some things should be left secret.

To answer your question... No piercings for me. I had my ear done years ago, but my mother had a fit. Finally, I just lost interest in it and let it grow over, not to mention it's not allowed in basic training. No offense, love, but no one is coming near my dick with a fucking long-ass needle. LOL Ever. The only person I want my dick exposed to...is you. No needles...just warm, wet, tight, and writhing around it. Got me, Isabella?

**sigh** Fuck, baby... Just the thought of you is driving me crazy. I'm going to take a walk, then _another_ shower, and finally try to sleep some. I promise to call you as soon as we land, my love.

God, I love you more and more with each passing day, but I swear, I may just lose my mind before I even hit the States. To be so close (well, close considering where I was) and yet so far away... It's maddening.

Forever yours,  
Edward

~oooOOOooo~

**Tampa, Florida... Saturday, June 05, 2010 at 8:32 P.M.**

"Take a left," Emmett murmured through a long, wide yawn.

I snorted, but neither Jasper or myself were any better. We were just extremely grateful that Mrs. Prescott, the home's owner, had been kind enough to make sure all our utilities were on, including the home phone.

"Okay, it should be right up here on the right," Jasper said, pointing out the windshield from the passenger side of the rental SUV. We'd only had the patience to rent one once we'd landed. After showers and a very long fucking sleep, we would be in a better frame of mind to make more decisions tomorrow. "That's it."

I pulled into the driveway and sighed in fucking relief. It had been a hell of a flight. I was tired of looking at Em and Jazz. All I wanted was a long ass shower, to hear my girl's voice, and to fall into bed. And I wasn't really sure what order I wanted that shit in, either.

No...Bella first. Always.

"I get first call," I called with a snort, opening the car door.

We stomped up the steps and opened the front door. I had to smile, because the place was really nice. It felt like a home, not a rental. Sitting in the middle of the dining room table was a rather large box with a note from Mrs. Prescott.

Jasper snatched it off and read it. Laughing, he tugged the damn thing open. "Holy shit, the girls totally rock!" he chuckled, rummaging through what looked to be a completely full box of just...stuff.

It was three sets of everything we'd need. All color coordinated to each guy. There were sheets for the beds, towels, washcloths, and new toiletries, not to mention framed photos of all them. And then we found the fucking mother lode. Bella had baked her ass off. There were brownies, some sort of lemon bar things, and cookies – all my _favorite_ cookies.

"Touch the fucking peanut butter, and you lose a limb," I snapped, laughing as he handed me the container. I immediately sought out our phone and dialed Bella.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey, beautiful, we're here," I said through a giant-ass yawn.

"Oh, babe, you sound wrecked," she half-groaned, half-chuckled. "But yay! I'm glad you made it."

"I am, but we just had to thank you guys," I said, holding up the phone so Jasper and Emmett could scream, "Thanks, Bells," with mouths full of...whatever. "You're the best. Did you know?" I chuckled.

"I try," she replied haughtily, breaking into a sweet giggle. "Did you get everything or just dive into the peanut butter, Edward?"

I laughed and choked at the same time. "No, sweetheart. Well, yeah, I'm totally hoarding the peanut butter, but we got everything. The pictures are great, and I think they'll go up first. But damn, baby, I'm exhausted. I'm gonna put the new sheets on my bed, grab a shower, and crash."

"Go, Edward," she chuckled. "Call me tomorrow, okay?"

"First thing, I promise," I said through another yawn. "Love you, Bella."

"Love you, too, babe," she answered.

I was just just about to hang up but stopped her. "Oh yeah, and Isabella? Don't think that I didn't notice that all my stuff is..._blue_."

She was still laughing as I hung up the phone.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: YAY! Okay, so for those that have asked about where the boys are staying... If you're familiar with Tampa or MacDill, then you'll know the Bayshore area...it's an older, upscale neighborhood...some parts are WAY upscale, but there are sweet neighborhoods that will be what I describe. There also are pics to go along with everything that's mentioned. They'll be on my blog, Jenny's page, and FB, so check our profile for links. :)**

**I want to thank all of you for the love and recs that have been given to us. I love that you love the slow burn. Someone said that by the time they meet, they'll have gotten all the awkward conversations out of the way. That's the best way to put it! :)**

**So we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	71. Chapter 71: Bella

**A/N #1: How fun! The boys are now in Florida...and I promise you, this chapter will bring you guys some good news. ;) So thank you once again for all the love you guys are giving us, and now, go read! ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, June 05, 2010 at 5:56 P.M.**

Rose laughed, shaking her head as she walked into the living room, sliding her phone into her pocket. "Did Jasper and Edward sound that exhausted when you talked to them? Emmett damn near fell asleep on the phone. I finally had to kick him off with the promise of a photo of my boobs – cause he doesn't have enough of those..."

Alice and I laughed, nodding. We were curled up on the couch, both eating a slice of the pizza that had been delivered while Rose was on the phone with Emmett.

"Yeah, Jasper sounded like he was going to nod off then," Alice told her.

"You heard me tell Edward he sounded wrecked," I agreed with a smirk. "I don't know if we'll hear from any of them for most of tomorrow."

Rose grabbed a paper plate I'd set out for her and a few pieces of pizza before settling in on the recliner. "I dunno, Bella... I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't up and around before noon."

"Nah," Alice disagreed. "This is their first true time off – from _everything_ – in a long time. I agree with Bella. We won't hear from them until this time tomorrow."

We were quiet for a few minutes, eating our food and flipping through channels on the TV until Rose found a "Real Housewives" marathon. They were as addicted to the damn show as I was, and we watched together on a regular basis.

At one of the commercial breaks, Rose muted the TV and turned to face me. "How are you doing now, Bella? About everything with Edward, I mean."

I'd told them all about our...fight, if you could even call it that, knowing they could sympathize.

"I'm...better," I answered truthfully. "Edward set me straight about everything and made me realize I was being stupid. I can't believe how much I miss him...and I've never even met him face to face! I hate that he's so damn close and yet still so far away. I hate that I have to wait until October to finally see him, and I know he feels the same."

Rose was nodding, but Alice suddenly had a sly look on her face.

"You know...nothing says we have to wait until October to see them," she told us, grinning. At our raised eyebrows, she continued, "What if we go and surprise them? Well, at least surprise Edward. We'd need Jasper's or Emmett's help pulling it off."

Laughing, Rose said, "Just Jasper. Emmett wouldn't be able to keep anything like that a secret."

My heart was suddenly racing at the idea of seeing Edward sooner than October. I had dropped my classes in part for that very reason, but still...knowing they thought it was possible made it so much more real.

"You think we could do that?" I asked, worrying my bottom lip in my teeth.

"Definitely," Alice said with a single, firm nod. "I'll talk to Jasper and see what we can come up with, okay, Bella?"

The grin on my face actually hurt, it was so wide. "Ask him about the weekend of June twentieth..."

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, June 05, 2010 at 10:42 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, June 06, 2010 at 1:42 A.M.  
Subject: *snort* Like I'd LET anyone get near you with one of those suckers?

C'mon, babe... I think you know me better than that. ;) There's no way in hell I'm letting anyone else at your cock, _especially_ with a needle of ANY size! No...I was talking more about your tongue. LOL Not that I want you to get your tongue pierced, not really. Was just teasing you. I do think ink is kind of sexy, though, so maybe when you make it here to Seattle, I can take you and get "Property of Bella Swan" tattooed on your ass or something. *wiggles eyebrows* ;)

Oh, Sarge...I can't wait until you can explore all of me, but even more, I can't wait to take in every...inch...of you. I want to get my hands on that hair you say you're going to let grow out a little now. I want to see if all those muscles are as solid as they look on camera. And fuck...if I don't want to trace those gorgeous green eyes and fuckhawt cherry red lips that are just begging to be kissed. I want to find all the spots on that sexy body that respond to my touch...and I just hope there are many...

My turn for a question, Edward... What's your favorite position? I'm not sure I'm well qualified to answer that, but from all the pictures and videos I've seen, I think I'd love it from behind...and I really, _really_ want to be on top one day. That always looks fun...

I'd better go. Rose and Alice are still here, and they want me to make some brownies to go with our margaritas. Not sure those two things really go together, but...whatever! LOL

I love you, Edward. More with every passing day.

Yours always,  
Bella

P.S. Babe, I promise that if I ever get into a bind, you're the first person I'll talk to, ok? I really want to do this on my own for now. Not because I don't want your help, but because I need to prove to myself that I can. Your offer means more to me than you'll ever know. xoxo

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ohhh, what is June 20th, huh? Can anyone guess? ;) Yeah, we have a ways to get there, but you now have a date!**

**Leave Bella & me some love, and then let's see what Sarge has to say about the personalized tattoo Bella mentioned. *grin* – Jenny**


	72. Chapter 72: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh...the girls are making plans. And now the boys are settling in...or sleeping in. LOL I'm sure you're dying to know whether he wants a "Property of Bella" stamp on him somewhere, so go on... :)**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, June 06, 2010 at 11:45 A.M.  
Date Received: Sun, June 06, 2010 at 8:45 A.M.  
Subject: I'm not really up...

Hey, Beautiful...

I'm totally going back to bed, but my stomach had other plans. So I'm sitting here with a giant ass glass of milk and a wide range of sweets for...breakfast? Brunch? What the hell ever. As soon as the guys and I are truly awake, we'll head out for a few things.

Emmett and Jasper need their own cars, all three of us need phones, and groceries are a must. Stopping at a convenience store on the way here won't sustain us for long.

I wanted to thank you...all of you...for the things you sent. It made shit so much easier. Fresh, soft sheets were heaven after some of the cots we've been sleeping on. I found out that Alice and Rose have been color coordinating Jasper and Emmett for years. It's cool I've been added in there.

You're getting awfully possessive of my cock, Isabella, and I haven't introduced you two yet. LOL And no...my tongue isn't pierced, either. I'm not sure I want it done. I had a friend back in high school who got his done, and it went terribly...awry. **shudders** However, I _do_ know what they're for, and I'm pretty sure I don't need one. And I can't wait to prove to you _why_ I don't think I need one, sexy girl. My tongue won't need accessories. Trust me.

As far as ink goes... I'm not opposed to it. Like I told you before, I just never had the time. I'm not quite sure I need one on my ASS, but I'm sure we can discuss that later. LOL Besides, if you want to mark me as yours, then perhaps it should be visible, hmm?

Favorite positions? Tsk, tsk, Miss Swan... Are you thinking naughty things again? I don't have a favorite position. All of them feel amazing, and I can't wait to show you. Taking you from behind is not top priority on my list. I'd much prefer to see your face since I've been dreaming of it for so damn long, but it feels so good that way. On top is a different story, love. For me, it would give me access to everything about you, give me a chance to watch your entire body take me deep inside. For you, you'll feel all of me...every inch. I'll hit places you didn't even know you had, baby. But for all of those things, it's regular missionary that I'm so looking forward to. I want to lose myself in your face, because it'll be real and there. I'll finally be able to kiss you, watch your beautiful, warm eyes as I slip inside. I fucking ache to feel your arms and legs wrap around me, feel your heart beat next to mine, and ground myself in the reality of just...you. That's just the damn truth, love.

And Bella... Qualified or not, when we are finally together, experience won't fucking matter. In fact, I rather like the idea that I'll be the one showing your body all the ways it can feel so damn good.

Okay, I'd better go back to bed before I put myself in a sugar coma – or drink all the milk we bought on the way here. The guys will kick my ass.

I love you so much, Bella. And I promise to call the second I get my phone later today.

Forever yours,  
Edward

~oooOOOooo~

**Tampa... Sunday, June 06, 2010 at 3:35 P.M.**

"Trust me, Sarge," Jasper chuckled, pointing to my new phone. "You want a smart phone. As much as you email and now will probably text, you'll want that thing."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. It had been a damn long time since I'd had a cell phone. And that one was nothing compared to what I had in my hand. It had been a simple flip thing, ancient in comparison. The new one was all touch and had more memory than the first damn computer my parents had bought me as a young teen.

"If you say so," I sighed, smirking at his chuckle. "Now get your shit done. We still have to get groceries, and that's a nightmare I'm not looking forward to."

He laughed, turning back to the counter where Emmett was finishing up with the girl behind the register. Those guys were lucky, because all they'd needed to do was add themselves back onto their wives' accounts. I had to start all over.

Stepping out of the store and into the main thoroughfare of the mall, I called Bella.

"Hello?" she answered, sounding breathless.

"Hey, sweetheart," I chuckled. "What are you doing?"

"Hi, babe," she giggled. "Well, I just about broke my neck to get to the phone. I'd just stepped out of the shower. I had a feeling it was you. Is this your number now?"

"Yeah, love," I said, still chuckling. Unable to help myself, I asked, "Does that mean you're naked, Isabella?"

"Mmhm," she hummed sexily. "Whatcha gonna do about it, Sarge?"

"I can't do a fucking thing right this second, beautiful," I laughed, shaking my head. "I'm standing in the middle of an extremely busy mall."

"That's a shame," she huffed dramatically, but I could still hear the giggle. "You know, now I could text you pictures of me like this."

"Miss Swan, don't you dare," I growled. "I still have to stay in public at least for the next few hours. The guys need to rent a car, and we still need food in the house. Please don't get me hard in the fucking cereal aisle of the grocery store!"

Her laugh was beautiful and naughty and just...perfect. And the fact that I could call her or send her messages any damn time I wanted to now was almost overwhelming. I wasn't sure it had truly hit me that we were back stateside.

"Okay, I'll behave...for now, Masen," she sighed. "What kind of phone did you get?"

"I don't know...something that could probably run a NASA space station and still download music at the same time," I snorted, shrugging a shoulder. "But at least I can call, get my email, and text you."

"Ah, Sgt. Masen, you do have your priorities straight, I see," she teased. "How's the house?"

"It's great," I said, plopping down on a bench to wait for the guys. "It's not far from the bay, and there's a great place for me to run in the mornings. It's right along the water with this really cool view of downtown. But let me tell you... It's hot as fuck here!"

"I do hope you mean temperature and not like some floozy neighbor," she muttered wryly.

"Floozy? Really?" I snorted. "No, temperature, love! It's a thousand degrees here, I swear."

She giggled again. "I know. My mom lives down there, remember? You'll get used to it, just like the desert, babe. Enjoy it while you can. It's been raining here for three days straight."

I sighed, shaking my head. Here I was, in a tropical beach environment, and all I wanted was to see the same rain my girl was looking at.

"I love you," I whispered, frowning at how badly I wanted her in front of me. Not on the phone.

"Love you, too, Edward," she replied instantly. "Soon, babe. It won't be long now."

"I know, just... Fuck, Bella," I groaned, glancing up when the guys walked out of the shop, both of them already using their new phones. "I gotta go, sweetheart. Will you call me, text me...fuck, anything later? We're going to spend the rest of the day acquainting ourselves with the area, probably take a look around the base, things like that. So I won't be at the computer, but I will have my phone on me."

She giggled again. "You know it."

"Good. Love you, baby," I said, and we ended the call.

It wasn't seconds later before my phone went off again – this time, with a text.

_B: Love you, too, handsome. :) xoxoxo_

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: **grins** So...the twentieth of June, huh?**

**Oh, and now Sarge is mobile. Let the texting begin. LOL ;) I actually couldn't wait for this form of communication to be added to the mix. :D For many, many reasons.**

**Much love to all of you guys... Jenny and I can't say it enough, because your love for this story shocks us, really. MWAH! :) It's why we post every day...for YOU. So that being said, we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	73. Chapter 73: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank goodness for cell phones, huh? :) Ok, so this might be *slightly* confusing. Be sure to pay attention to the dates/times. Edward's last chapter, when he called Bella, was Sunday, June 06, at 3:35 P.M. ET. So the email from her this chapter is BEFORE that phone call. There was no other way to do it that wouldn't have made the chapters so short that even Deb & I were unhappy about them. ;)**

**So to reiterate, the beginning of this, her email, is BEFORE she talks to him on his new cell phone, but the last part of the chapter is that night, so they've already talked & texted once. :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, June 06, 2010 at 10:07 A.M.  
Date Received: Sun, June 06, 2010 at 1:07 P.M.  
Subject: Aww man! I lost the bet!

Thanks so much, babe... LOL The girls and I kind of had a bet about what time you guys would be up and around. Alice and I thought for sure we wouldn't hear from you before dinner. Rose was sure it would be before noon. (Although, am I REALLY complaining about hearing from you earlier than I'd thought I would? Hell, no! ;) )

I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the stuff we sent. We washed the sheets and towels and stuff so they'd be soft and ready to use. The three of us figured none of you would be up for doing laundry before you fell into bed, and we didn't want you using brand new sheets out of the packaging. That stuff is gross...all stiff and rough, and sometimes it smells like plastic. Blech. And of course you got blue! *grin* I had to give you a reminder of me every time you got out of the shower or slid into bed, didn't I?

Oh, hell no... I'm not suggesting you go out and get ANYTHING pierced, Edward. LOL I'm quite certain that you alone, with no extra gadgets or accessories, will be able to more than satisfy me. As much as your words and your voice can do to me, I know just adding in your hands and tongue and cock will be overwhelming. And babe... I'm looking forward to every single one of those positions you mentioned. I don't care how or where it happens. I just want to be with you that way, to show you with my body how very much my heart and soul and mind love you already. Just thinking of being with you like that gets me so turned on...the position doesn't make a damn bit of difference. I can't wait to experience it all with you.

As for ink...well, that's up to you, Sarge. Really. If you ever want to get something, I'm good with that. Like I said, it can be very sexy. But if not? I'm perfectly ok with that, too, babe. I'm not sure I could find you any more sexy than I already do, so don't do it just because you think it's something I want.

Question time! One... Boxers or briefs? Obviously, I don't wear boxers under my clothes...although I do have a few pairs of flannel ones I wear to sleep in sometimes. I don't like dental floss (better known as thongs), but I love boy shorts and bikini panties. I have some high cut briefs that I wear on...certain days...but for the most part, it's boy shorts and bikini panties. I have them in all colors, but there are a few pairs that I am partial to because of the style and fabric and feel of them, so I have those in multiple colors. :)

Two... If you could have one thing for your birthday (besides me...), what would it be?

I'd better go, babe. I'm going to the gym for a bit. I'll have my cell with me, so no matter when you call, I'll answer. Having a cell phone also means you can call me anytime, too, which I am way too excited about! Just another reason why having you stateside is such a relief, huh? :)

Love you always,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Sunday, June 06, 2010 at 7:00 P.M.**

I pushed away my laptop and the work I'd been doing on the latest book I'd been sent, stretching to work out the kinks in my neck and shoulders. It had been awhile since I'd heard from Edward after his phone call on his new phone. I wanted to text him, because I'd promised I would, but I also wanted to tease him. He'd gotten me so worked up with his last email, talking about positions and how he would pleasure me with his mouth... It was time to return the favor.

Taking my phone with me into the bedroom, I changed into his shirt and a pair of pink cotton panties with lacy white edges. I opened my email on my phone, scrolling back through to read some of the things he'd written that affected me every time I read them. By the time I got to the email from this morning, I knew my panties were soaked. I lay back on the pillows, propping myself up so I could hold the phone with one hand and snap a picture when I was ready.

Sliding my hand down under the cotton, I was met with wet, slick skin and yes, soaked panties. Leaving my fingers just barely under the edge of the fabric, I held the phone out and took a quick photo. It took several tries, my fingers and the idea of sending one of these pictures to Edward keeping me wet and ready for more. Finally, I got the perfect shot. It was kind of blurry, but you could clearly see the damp spot between my legs and my hand getting ready to touch myself.

I wiped my fingers on the outside of my panties, knowing I'd need to change anyway, and then grabbed my phone, settling down onto the bed.

_B: Hey, babe. You still awake?_

_E: Hi, sweetheart. For you? Always. How was your day?_

_B: It was good. Got some work done this afternoon and evening._

_E: That's good. I'm glad you had a good day._

_B: I just had to tell you, "Shame on you..."_

_E: What? Why shame on me? I've been a good boy today, I swear! ;)_

_B: Because, you naughty boy... You made my panties wet. Again..._

I snorted a laugh, knowing how that line would affect him. Unable to resist, I loaded the picture into a new message, with the subject line of _Want to see?_ Before I could chicken out, I hit send and settled in to wait for his reply.

Four minutes later, I was still waiting...and getting nervous that I'd crossed a line or that Edward had seen something he didn't like.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ohhh, boy. lol You KNEW the sexting was going to start, didn't you?**

**And I know you guys want an inked or pierced Sarge, but...just think of all that pure, unblemished skin... ;) Yum!**

**Speaking of ink...forgot to link to the pic of Bella's tattoo. It's now up on our profile, on Deb's blog, and on Facebook, so...take a look! :)**

**All right, enough from me. Leave us some love, and then go read Sarge's response! ;) – Jenny**


	74. Chapter 74: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh ho! You just gotta love pic-texts! LOL As if I even need to tell you that this comes with a LEMON WARNING...so just proceed with caution wherever it is that you are reading this. ;) Enjoy...**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Sunday, June 06, 2010 at 10:14 P.M.**

"That wire doesn't go there! This one does," Emmett argued as half of his large body was crammed behind the TV.

"You ass... Red matches red, yellow matches yellow. How hard is that?" Jasper countered, rolling his eyes at Emmett.

He and Emmett had insisted on setting up the game system. I was merely in the room to keep them from killing each other, though it was awfully tempting to just let nature take its course at this point because I'd been with them all day. I wasn't sure I wanted to be seen in public with them again.

I was saved by my pocket vibrating with a text from Bella. I was actually getting the hang of the damn thing. I'd been putting my contacts in for the last half hour, just to get used to the touch screen, but texts were even better. I had to chuckle in confusion when she sent, _"Shame on you..."_

_E: What? Why shame on me? I've been a good boy today, I swear! ;)_

_B: Because, you naughty boy... You made my panties wet. Again..._

My brain froze for a few seconds, my body breaking out in a sheen of sweat. I tried like hell to figure out what the hell I'd written, said, or texted in the last twenty-four hours to make her...to cause her to...

My phone alerted again, only this time, it was a picture, with the subject, "_Want to see?_"

I literally had to grit my teeth in order to not moan aloud at the sweetest, most torturous sight I'd ever seen. Pink panties with some white lacy stuff around the edges, but it was the hand inside them that caused my breathing to stop altogether. And my girl wasn't lying; she was so very, very wet.

I needed to talk to her, but I looked up to find both guys staring at me. "What?"

"What you mean...what?" Jasper snickered. "You playin' or not?"

"No," I laughed, waving them on. "No, I'm not. Bella needs me to call her," I told them, the not-so-untruth giving me the out I needed, because Emmett and Jasper, as much as they teased her, allowed my girl whatever she wanted.

What I didn't tell them was _what_ she wanted.

I walked to my bedroom, closing the door behind me. I waited just long enough to hear the game start up from the living room before I hit send on my phone.

"Edward, I—" she answered, but I cut her off.

"That's a pretty serious problem you have there, Isabella," I said, my voice low as I walked to my bed. "What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm not offended, love. I just want to know why you didn't call me sooner," I queried, falling down across my bed, my feet still touching the floor. "Tell me what you were thinking that made you so wet, my sexy girl."

"You," she answered automatically.

"No, no...not this time, Bella. What about me?"

"Everything, Edward," she replied, her voice sounding pained. "All it took was reading some of your emails, or really just the last one. I only wanted to tease you, but it..."

I grinned, dragging my tongue across my bottom lip. "Backfired?"

"Sort of," she snickered. "But your last email... Baby, I want those things...so much."

"Me, too, sweetheart. You have no idea." I closed my eyes, my hand adjusting myself, because she sounded so damn needy. "Do you want my help?"

"Yes."

"Do you still have those sweet panties on, Isabella?"

"Yes," she answered, shifting around on the other end of the line.

"Put me on speakerphone and take them off. Take _everything_ off."

There was shifting around for a minute over the phone, until finally, she said, "You, too, babe..."

I'm not sure I'd ever moved so fast, even under threat of war, but I stood up, dropping my jeans and boxers to the floor, only to sit back down on the bed. This time, I propped myself up against the pillows and headboard.

"Baby, if I was there, what would you want me to do to you..._right now_?" I asked her, wrapping a hand around my already hard-as-hell dick when her sweet, tortured moan echoed in my ear.

"Balls to the wall," she replied, giving me the same answer as the first time I'd asked her.

"Mm, someday, sweetheart. I promise," I vowed because damn, I meant that shit. "It's all I want, all I can think about. Are you still wet for me, beautiful?"

"More now."

"Tell me how much more," I ordered, my head falling back. "Are you swollen, love? Tender? Touch yourself like it was my mouth, like I was taking one long taste of you."

"Shit, yes," she hissed, and my own hand squeezed harder, causing the same sound to escape me. "More... Edward..."

Tonight wasn't a night for foreplay, for teasing. I could hear it in her voice. If she were with me, I'd have already slid her down over me, keeping her in my lap so that I could watch every-fucking-thing about her. No, tonight, my girl wanted hard and fast.

"Christ, baby..." I groaned, my head falling back to the headboard. "You're killing me. I want to take care of you, slide inside you, come _with you_." I sighed in frustration but in want at the same time. "Bella, do you have something...to help you?" I asked, wondering if I was overstepping the line because we'd never talked about toys or anything like that. Some girls didn't like admitting they had them.

Her breath caught, but she finally said, "Yes."

"Oh, get it, baby. You're gonna need it," I chuckled darkly, waiting as I distinctly heard a drawer open and close. "What is it?"

"A vibrator."

"What's it look like?" I asked, bracing myself for a description of something representing a fake dick. That shit was scary.

She huffed a small laugh. "It's pink, smooth...sparkly."

"Is it big?" I asked, grinning despite how badly I was leaking.

"Not as big as you, Sarge," she purred sexily, but I could clearly hear her smile through her voice.

"Well, we'll have to make do for now, won't we?" I asked her smoothly, smiling when she giggled and loving the fact that none of this seemed wrong. It just was. And I wondered – not for the first time – if we were this comfortable now, how fucking perfect would it be when we were finally face to face. "Turn it on, Isabella. Coat it with those sweet juices. Christ, I can't wait to taste you," I said, the last line sounding like a wish and a prayer. "Get it wet, baby, like you would if it was really me."

My name, a few soft curse words, and another hiss met my ear, and I couldn't help but give my cock a long, firm stroke. My girl made the best sounds on the fucking planet.

"Fuck, Edward... I want you inside me."

"Me, too, beautiful," I groaned, my eyes rolling back when I just couldn't stop my own hand. "Place it right at that needy pussy, love, but don't push it in all the way. You know I'd tease you...shallow strokes, just barely inside."

"God, no teasing..."

"Push it in, baby. Slow. Easy. I want to hear you when you take every inch in."

And suddenly, I was lost to her, lost to the guttural way my name sounded over the phone. She wasn't on the fucking phone; she was surrounding me, enveloping me in heat and wetness and a smell that I associated with the sheets she'd sent me. My hand gripped my dick hard, using the precum that had been leaking almost from the moment I'd heard her voice. None of this was going to take long, for her or me. We'd worked ourselves up way too much. It seemed to happen all the time.

"Take yourself deep and hard, Bella," I panted, holding off my climax as best I could. "And then let go," I encouraged, begging her silently to come.

"Together?"

"Then you've got to tell me, beautiful," I grunted, squeezing my eyes closed.

When her breath caught, my name cut off midway, I knew we were there.

"Now, baby," she gasped.

"Shit!" I hissed, losing everything within me. My seed spilled hot and wet across my stomach. I snatched a handful of tissues from the box on the nightstand and cleaned myself up, 'cause that shit dried fast and was a bitch to get off if left for too long. "Jesus, Bella..." I sighed, my head falling back. "Fuck, I can't wait to see your face when you do that."

My girl sighed in utter relief and sated bliss, a small giggle escaping her. "Yeah. Soon, Edward. It won't be long now."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: No, not long now. Sigh... I do love me some dirty-talkin' Sarge. So by now, you've figured out the girls are planning a surprise attack. Edward's birthday. :D If you look up at this time-stamp, you'll see that's two weeks. And no...it's absolutely not real-time two weeks. That would kill us, too! ;)**

**Ah...and the sexting has begun... Believe me, it's not over. LOL If you're feeling naughty, you can check out the pic Bella sent Sarge on my blog or on our Facebook page. ;) [Note from Jenny: *laugh* No, that isn't me! Just a random picture I found on Google. ;) ]**

**Okay, so we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	75. Chapter 75: Bella

**A/N #1: Whew! You guys needed the ShamWow as much as we did, huh? All I can say is that the UST you're seeing now will only explode once they meet, so keep that thing handy. ;) Thanks for all the love for yesterday's chapters. :) Now, enjoy!**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, June 06, 2010 at 11:47 P.M.  
Date Received: Mon, June 07, 2010 at 3:47 A.M.  
Subject: So tired, I feel like I could fall asleep at the computer...

I can't even imagine how tired you must be, babe. You haven't had much down time, even in your days off so far! LOL

It was so good to talk to you tonight, Edward. Yes, of course the first bit was amazing. ;) But I mean all the conversation after. That's really the first time we've gotten to talk as long as we've wanted on the phone, and... Yeah, I just loved it. I love finding out every little thing I can about you. Hearing more about when you were a kid, the stuff from your first days in the Army... All of that just shaped you into you, and that makes it special.

After we got off the phone earlier, I started looking around online at different songs I'd never heard, and one caught my eye (ear...whatever...). Come Home by OneRepublic. It's hauntingly beautiful and made me think of you. Here's some of the lyrics, but you should really go to YouTube and search for it. *sigh*

_Hello world  
Hope you're listening  
Forgive me if I'm young  
For speaking out of turn  
There's someone I've been missing  
I think that they could be  
The better half of me  
They're in the wrong place trying to make it right  
But I'm tired of justifying  
So I say to you.._

_Come home  
Come home  
Cause I've been waiting for you  
For so long  
For so long  
And right now there's a war between the vanities  
But all I see is you and me  
The fight for you is all I've ever known  
So come home_

And of course, Never Alone by Lady Antebellum is one of my favorite songs, and I never really, truly felt that song so deep in my soul as I do now...

_May the angels protect you, trouble neglect you  
And heaven accept you when it's time to go home  
May you always have plenty, the glass never empty  
And know in your belly, you're never alone_

_May your tears come from laughing, you find friends worth having  
As every year passes, they mean more than gold  
May you win and stay humble, smile more than grumble  
And know when you stumble, you're never alone_

_Never alone, never alone  
I'll be in every beat of your heart when you face the unknown  
Wherever you fly this isn't goodbye  
My love will follow you, stay with you, baby, you're never alone_

Both songs just say so much to me now. And they aren't the only things. It's like I look at the world a whole different way now that I have you in my life. Before, I really didn't look far in the future. I knew I was going to teach, but that was pretty much it. I rent this house, I don't have any savings, and before you, it was like I was just kind of drifting. I wanted what Alice and Rose have, but I just couldn't see how to get there, so I'd kind of given up, thinking it would happen when it happened...or it wouldn't.

I'm so glad I didn't push things, that I didn't rush things with someone else, like Jacob or Mike, because if I had, I wouldn't have you...and I wouldn't have a future that I'm really, really looking forward to reaching.

I love you so much, Edward, and sometimes that scares me. But know this... I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

I know you're going to be busy tomorrow, checking out the base, catching up on laundry, and getting all your "pre-work" work done so you're ready for Tuesday, but write when you can. The girls and I have plans to hang out. Not sure what we're doing, but you know I'll have my phone on me, so I'll be available.

Loving you always,  
Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: You can find YouTube links to the songs with lyrics on our profile & on Facebook, so be sure to check them out. The OneRepublic song was Deb's pick, but "Never Alone" was mine. It's one of my favorite songs, and I've actually used it before in a Stephanie Plum fic. It just...fits. *sigh***

**You can start to tell with this chapter & Edward's response after just how damn much they need to be together. It makes ME sad, and I know how long it's going to be before they are face to face! (*grin* Not long...)**

**So leave Bella some love, and then head on over to see Sarge's response. :) – Jenny**


	76. Chapter 76: Edward

**A/N #1: Okay so I didn't know the song by OneRepublic from Adam, but I stumbled upon it, and it FITS... God, does it ever fit this story. If you get a chance to really listen to it, just...yeah. :)**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Mon, June 07, 2010 at 11:34 A.M.  
Date Received: Mon, June 07, 2010 at 8:34 A.M.  
Subject: I know I'm not alone anymore...

My sweet Bella...

What I want more than anything is to come home to you. Your songs were perfect and exactly what I needed to hear this morning. I added them to my iPod before my run. Despite everything from our phone call last night, I woke up still needing more of you...more talking, more just...everything.

I understand all that you said about the feeling of just drifting. I felt that way as I took care of my parents and through my relationship with Tanya. There was no feeling of solidity. Nothing seemed real. I can't say that I regret any of it, because I was glad to have the time I did with my parents. I can't even regret Tanya because toward the end of my time in Chicago, she was leaving for Harvard. We were already over, really. What I find most interesting... Had I not joined the Army, which led to my breaking up with Tanya, I would not have found you, Bella. What I feel for you is real, and that is the only thing that keeps me going.

What I realized last night – and it's not the first time – was that everything about you and me feels so right. I've never opened up to someone like I have with you. Ever. I've never laughed as much or worried as much, because I do worry, sweetheart. I worry that I can't be there if you truly needed me, or that you'll lose patience before this is all over, or that I'll wake up and this will all have been just a dream. Nothing matters to me but you. Nothing. Before you, I was alone and knew it. Love, you've given me more than I could possibly explain. Not only have you given me your heart, but you've given me friends and a feeling of family. A true feeling of just belonging.

Beautiful, I told you once that I can't find any flaws on you. And I still can't. I don't mean that you're perfect, because believe me, no one really is. What you are is perfect _for me_. You make me laugh, you keep me focused, and you ground me in a way that no one has ever been able to do. I love you more than I can possibly put into words or even begin to show you, but I promise you that I will spend the rest of my life trying.

I'm waiting for my laundry to finish and the guys to get up, and then we're going down to the base to meet my squad for a brief orientation. I'll be away from my computer, but I'll have my phone on me.

Speaking of laundry, I believe I owe you some answers, don't I? Boxers or briefs? How about boxer-briefs? Although, I like regular boxers, too. And Isabella, I'm telling you... Your great debate over panties is OVER. None when I get to you. Understand me? **grin**

And my birthday? Christ, Bella, if I can't have you wrapped in nothing but a bow, then what's the point of celebrating? Hmm? But I'll settle for some cookies, or maybe this time, you could send me a cake. LOL Honestly, sweetheart. I don't need anything. I'm as happy as I've ever been. Come October, I won't be able to hide my fucking smile.

My question to you, my love, is this... I've asked you before about things you didn't like about yourself, but now I want to know what you do like about yourself. I know I have to give you an answer as well, but I honestly don't give my looks that much thought. They're just looks. If I _had_ to pick, I'd say my eyes because they're the same color as my mother's. Mentally, I'm pretty proud of my inner strength. I could've given up many times in my life, but I didn't, and I'm really glad I didn't because had I just given up or given in...I'd be living in Boston right now.

The guys are awake now, so I guess I better get going. I love you so much, Bella. There hasn't been a day that's gone by since your first letter that I haven't had a fucking smile on my face. I thank you for that, beautiful.

Forever yours,  
Edward

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Yeah, I know...all of you want to scream to him just exactly what he's getting for his birthday, but no...you can't. ;) It's more than a cake. LOL**

**The links for the songs are up on FB and linked on our profile. Not to mention a few pic teases. ;)**

**As always, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Thank you all for the love you've shown and are continuing to show this fic. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	77. Chapter 77: Bella

**A/N #1: You guys are guessing Bella will show up in a cake or on Edward's bed wrapped in a red bow. I will only tell you that you're all wrong. :) But Deb & I both LOVE how they meet face to face finally, and we promise that you won't be disappointed. Edward won't be. ;)**

**Thanks for all the love for the last two chapters. I'm glad you felt all of Bella's emotions in 75, because that's exactly what I wanted. Now, see what she has to say. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Monday, June 07, 2010 at 9:12 A.M.**

The sun streaming through my windows woke me up just a few minutes before my alarm was set. Groaning quietly, I stretched, feeling a slight twinge between my legs. I'd been more active in my – albeit solo – sex life since meeting Edward than I had in the few months before that. Even when I was with Mike, I'm not sure my lady bits had seen this much action.

Before I even climbed out of bed, I reached over and grabbed my phone from the night stand. Taking a second to click off the upcoming alarm, I then opened up my email and read through his latest love note. That's what it truly was. Even at his naughtiest on the phone or via email, I felt his love for me come shining through it all.

_Mmm, boxer-briefs,_ I thought, my imagination turning dirty as I imagined what he might look like in tight, black cotton, molded to every curve and...bulge. I would definitely be asking for a picture...

His question about what I liked most about myself would have to be given some thought, so rather than emailing him right away, I decided to stay in bed for a little bit longer and text him to say good morning.

_B: Good morning, babe. Thank you for the email. It made waking up so much more fun._

Edward's response came less than a minute later.

_E: Morning, sweetheart. Did my email wake you?_

I smiled at his worried tone, coming through even on a text.

_B: No, not at all. The sun did...although I'd planned to be up in a few minutes anyway._

_E: Oh, good. We're just stopping off at Wendy's for a quick bite before our orientation, so I have a couple of minutes free. How'd you sleep?_

_B: Honestly? That was some of the best sleep I've gotten in a while. I went to bed happy and pretty worn out (that was...intense last night! LOL). I woke up still feeling that amazing orgasm, I'll have you know. ;)_

_E: **big grin** Good, then I'm doing my job. I'll have you know that my not-so-little soldier was quite pleased himself...although he was certainly raring to go again this morning. I had to say hello to him privately in the shower. His thoughts were so focused on you, it was...hard...to think straight._

I laughed, unable to help myself.

_B: I'm glad he was pleased. He should be! ;)_

_E: All right, love. I've got to run. The guys just walked into the restaurant without me, laughing because I was too involved in typing to get out of the truck. Love you, beautiful._

_B: Love you, too. :) Have a good afternoon. I'll email later, Mr. Turning Bella on with Thoughts of Sexy Boxer-Briefs._

_E: LOL Pretty girl, all you have to do is ask, and a picture is yours._

_B: Consider yourself asked. Now go eat, Masen! ;)_

_E: Yes, ma'am. Later, baby._

Once my phone had been silent for several minutes, I climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. I needed to get groceries and go to the bookstore, and I thought I might call the girls and see if they wanted to do some shopping for pretty things this afternoon before grabbing dinner together. Then tonight, I would email Edward and, hopefully, get a sexy photo from him in return.

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Tues, June 08, 2010 at 12:37 A.M.  
Date Received: Tues, June 08, 2010 at 3:37 A.M.  
Subject: Picture for a picture? ;)

The girls and I went shopping, as you can see... What do you think? I know it's not blue, but the red looks ok, right? In exchange, Masen... I want you. In boxer-briefs...

That's all. I want a sexy picture of you in those tight, cock-hugging things that show off your abs and chest and shoulders... Yes please. Right the fuck now.

And ok...I suppose if I HAVE to do without panties while you're around, I'll live. Easy access, hmm?

*laugh* I may have had a few drinks with the girls. Not even really tipsy. Just buzzed enough to be horny. I think I'll pull out Mr. Sparkle before sleep... Either that or Mr. Showerhead...

In all seriousness, I wanted to tell you that I agree with you... Things between us just...fit. Yeah, it's hard because you're there and I'm here. But like you said, Edward... It's right. What we have feels like it's always been there, like I've known you my whole life.

So let's see... What do I like best about myself? Physically, I guess my lips. My eyes & hair are just a plain brown, my breasts could be a little bigger, but I like my lips. They have a nice shape and are a decent natural color. Not physically? Probably my compassion and optimism. I try to see the good in people and situations, and I find more often than not that I care so much, it can lead me to easily getting hurt. Yeah, that can be a bad thing, but I think it's a good thing, too.

Ok, I just looked at the clock, and I really need to get to sleep...but I do have that one little thing to take care of before I do, so I'd better sign off here. I hope you have a very good first day of training tomorrow, babe. I have every confidence that you'll knock it out of the park. Email tomorrow night and let me know how it goes, ok?

All my love,  
Bella

P.S. Question time, Sarge... What is one thing you want to try sometime that absolutely terrifies you? (Non-sexual, baby... ;) ) For me, I think it would have to be sky-diving. I've heard it's completely a blast and absolutely freeing, but the thought of plummeting to my death scares the crap out of me! LOL

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: More texting... Gotta love having that instant access! :)**

**Ok, I know you guys are getting antsy. But I promise you...it'll all pay off SOON. In fact, leave me some love and then go read Sarge, 'cause Deb has some news for you. ;) – Jenny**


	78. Chapter 78: Edward

**A/N #1: Dear Lord, I love silly texting Sarge! XD Here's a little more. And guess who gets naughty... LOL**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Tues, June 08, 2010 at 7:01 A.M.  
Date Received: Tues, June 08, 2010 at 4:01 A.M.  
Subject: Sweetheart, there's nothing PLAIN about you!

Beautiful, your hair and eyes are not "just plain brown." **rolls eyes** Your eyes are extremely warm and expressive. And you can't even imagine the things I think about when it comes to your hair. My hands ache to sink into it. However, Isabella...your lips... Mmm, damn, baby... you have NO idea!

Red looks amazing on you, sexy girl. And we have a deal. Picture for a picture. As soon as I get back from a quick run, take a shower...I'll fuck around with the camera on this phone and see what I can do. Okay?

Is it childish of me to envy Mr. Sparkle? LOL He's getting all the attention that I want, dammit! Lucky bastard. We may have to retire him once I finally get my hands on you, sweetheart. There can't be two of us vying for your attention.

What do I want to try, but scares me? If you had asked me that months ago, I'd have said scuba diving. Something about having to rely on a can of air, surrounded by water, caves, and fish sounds amazing, but scary as hell. Now? This, Bella. This whole relationship between us scares me, but I so want it. I love you more than anything in this world, and the thought that this may go badly, that face to face, we won't work...it scares the shit out of me.

I've skydived, and if you want to go, baby, I'll take you. It's thrilling and fucking terrifying at the same time.

I've got to get going, baby. I've got a shit-ton of things to do, and that's before I have to hoist Jazz and Em out of bed. :) Ice water is so damned tempting. LOL

I love you, beautiful. I'll text you later.

Love,  
Edward

~oooOOOooo~

**Tampa... Tuesday, June 08, 2010 at 8:05 A.M.**

"You guys better be up!" I snapped down the hallway.

"We are!" Jasper called back. "Now," he added in a mutter I was sure he didn't think I'd hear.

Rolling my eyes, I closed my bedroom door and took the towel from around my waist, depositing it into the laundry basket. I tugged on a pair of boxer-briefs, shrugging when they weren't black. Dark gray would have to do. It had taken what seemed like forever for me to figure out how to work the stupid camera on my phone, but damned if I was going to have either of those two nosy bastards take this picture. They were worse than two women.

Once the picture was snapped, retaken, and then retaken again, I shook my head. I would've never sent Tanya a picture like that. Grinning at that thought, I sent the picture to Bella.

_E: Fair is fair, my love. Will this do?_

I knew for a fact that my girl was most likely still asleep. She'd stayed up pretty late, and that was after she'd had a few drinks. In fact, I didn't expect to hear from her until way later in the day.

I was right. I didn't hear from her until I gave the all-clear for lunch. I gave the class and my squad an hour. Jasper, Emmett, and I made our way to the food court over by the commissary. They were on the phone with their wives when my sleepy girl finally texted back.

_B: Well, good morning to me... ;) That is one sexy as hell picture, babe! SO many places to kiss you..._

_E: LOL Glad you think so, beautiful. How'd you sleep?_

_B: Alone, sadly. I'm getting rather tired of it. :'( But this picture... I think I have new fodder for good dreams._

I chuckled, shaking my head and taking a bite of my sandwich. I ignored all the noise and chatter going on around me. None of it mattered. She had my undivided attention.

_E: You'd better be alone! Don't make me get all jealous and possessive!_

_B: LOL No need. I'll happily wait. Besides, I have Mr. Sparkle. ;)_

_E: Oh, THAT guy again? I'm thinking I hate him._

_B: Sigh... Yeah, I'm only using him for convenience sake, if it makes you feel any better. I plan on dumping him soon. ;)_

_E: Poor guy. He'll be heartbroken. I would be._

_B: YOU have nothing to worry about, handsome. How's your first day going?_

_E: Fine. I promise to call you and tell you all about it when we're done. The recruits seem so young. I don't remember being that young._

_B: You were probably never that young. You had to grow up pretty fast, babe. _

_E: I guess. What are you up to today?_

_B: Well, I have this new picture, and I need to see if someone can blow it up into a movie-sized poster. :)_

_E: LOL I'd ask if you were kidding, but I'm afraid to know the answer. However, if you tell me it's going on the ceiling above your bed...I'm not sure I can deal with that image._

_B: Oooh! Good idea! Thanks, babe!_

_E: **rolls eyes** Love you, silly girl. I'll call you later._

_B: *giggles* Love you, too. Xoxoxo_

~oooOOOooo~

I finished the last pan from dinner, tossing the dishrag up onto the counter and pulling out my phone. The three of us had been starving when we'd gotten home, so Emmett had grilled out on the back deck. As soon as we'd finished, Jasper had run off to call Alice. He'd been secretive with his calls to her as of late, but considering what Bella and I got up to, I didn't judge him one bit. A man had to do what a man had to do, especially when he needed his girl.

"Hi, Mr. Sexy Abs," Bella answered with a giggle.

"Hey, beautiful," I chuckled, shaking my head as I walked into my bedroom. "What are you doing?"

"The girls are coming over later. Rose is bringing Chinese, and Alice has gone to get wine. It's movie night," she explained.

"She's actually on the phone with Jasper," I told her. "It seems she's multitasking."

"That's Alice," she giggled. "Tell me about your day."

I fell across my bed, wearing an inexplicable smile as I told her how the first day had gone. The first week would be classroom training the first half of the day, the last half hands-on training. The newbies needed to know what it was like in the heat, an urban war zone, and had to learn to work with Special Ops. The latter part of the training wouldn't come for a few months.

"We're gonna be busy, sweetheart," I sighed, grimacing at the thought, "especially these first few weeks. Once all the new recruits arrive, we'll have our hands full. My schedule will vary, but not by much. There will be a few times we'll train them at night, though."

"That's understandable, babe. I'm not worried about your schedule. I'm just glad you're doing something safe," she stated. I could almost see her little shoulder shrug. "I know you'll stay in touch one way or another."

"I will. I promise," I vowed, nodding dumbly as if she could see me. "So...did you get your poster made?" I chuckled.

The laugh that came through the phone was adorable, all sexy and embarrassed at the same time.

"I was kidding, Edward!" she giggled. "It's tempting, but no. I'm afraid I have to keep that picture just for me. Even the photo shop people aren't allowed to see what's mine."

Smiling, I said, "Don't tell me it's the wallpaper on your phone..."

"My phone, my laptop, my e-reader..." she laughed. "Can't help it. It's the best I can do without you here."

My heart ached with those words, but she was only being honest.

"Soon, baby," I sighed. "Just the summer. I promise. And then it's over. It'll be you and me."

"I know," she added, her voice sounding upbeat. "I can't wait."

"Me, either."

"Food's here, babe. I'll text you later," she said, and I could hear the girls in the background.

"Drunk texting?" I laughed.

"Absolutely."

"Good, I love those. Love you, sweetheart. Have a good night," I told her, sitting up on the edge of my bed.

"Love you, too."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Figures Sarge would send a pic of himself in boxer-briefs. LOL There is a pic of that up on my blog, on FB, and on Jenny's site. Mm, enjoy. ;) Personally, I'm with Bella...I want a poster! LOL**

**Okay, so we have a surprise for you guys. Tomorrow will be a double posting! :) I know what you're all thinking...but I'm telling you... If Sarge and Bella's meeting were a snake, it would bite you. I know you're tired of hearing that from us. Would a countdown help? ;)**

**So we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	79. Chapter 79: Bella

**A/N #1: Ok, so will Bella be drunk texting? Maybe not DRUNK texting, but she's feeling little pain. :) So see what she has to say...and what her sexy Sarge has to say in return. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Tuesday, June 08, 2010 at 9:32 P.M.**

_B: Don't ever let Alice make you a "sparkling wine"... Tastes like a wine cooler, my ass!_

I laughed as I sent the text off to Edward. The girls and I had just finished watching _The Notebook_, and Alice had claimed that she had a new drink she wanted to make. She combined sparkling cider with the Zinfandel we'd had with dinner...and really, it had been awful. Even she'd had to admit that it was a dud. After that, we'd stuck to one frozen strawberry margarita and a rum and coke each.

_E: There's my sweet girl. I was wondering if you were going to write before I crashed for the night. You just caught me._

_B: Ooh, does that mean you're in bed? *bats eyelashes* Whatcha wearin', Sarge? ;)_

_E: Unlike the desert, where I have to be ready to go at a moment's notice, I'm free to wear whatever I want here, Isabella...which usually means nothing...like now._

I felt a flash of heat race through me, but I tamped it down, knowing it was after midnight and he needed to get to sleep. But oh the images that put in my head...

_B: You tease... Tell me that again when you have time to do something to take care of the problem you just gave me. ;)_

_E: **sigh** You're right, love. I do need to get to sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day, and as much as I would love to talk with you more, I have to be up in less than 6 hours to fit in a run before heading over to the base. But Isabella...promise me something._

Anything...

_B: Anything, Edward..._

_E: You think of me tonight, filling you, wrapping myself around you until there's no space left between us, and make yourself come, baby. I want you to scream my name so loud, I can hear it from across the country. And don't just stop at one, sweetheart... You know I wouldn't. Push yourself until you think you can't take anymore, and then think of my fingers, my tongue...my cock...pulling one...more...orgasm out of you. I want you so satisfied, you'll still feel me when you go to bed tomorrow night._

Holy hell...

_E: Can you do that for me, love?_

_B: *nods dumbly* Fuck... I promise, babe._

_E: Good. I love you, Bella. We'll talk again as soon as my schedule allows it, sweetheart, ok?_

My heart squeezed in my chest, absolutely hating saying goodbye.

_B: Love you, too. So much. Good night, babe._

_E: Good night, Bella._

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, June 09, 2010 at 1:33 P.M.  
Date Received: Wed, June 09, 2010 at 4:33 P.M.  
Subject: You're my reward! :)

Hi, babe!

I've been editing since I woke up, aside from a short lunch break before noon, so I am taking a few minutes to just sit back and relax. And that includes being able to reply to your email finally!

Let's see... First of all, you have nothing to worry about, Sarge, trust me. ;) Mr. Sparkly will get shoved back into the back recesses of the drawer come October and only pulled out in cases of extreme emergency. *grin* I have no doubts that you and your cock will be MORE than enough for me. But for now, he'll have to do...

Scuba diving sounds so fun, like it would be so beautiful. I'd definitely be willing to do that with you if you'll take me skydiving! The thought of jumping out of a plane terrifies me, but with you...I'd do anything.

By the way... Get the thought of us not working when we finally meet face to face right out of your head, Masen. *grumbles* There is nothing to fear, Edward, really. I know I was worried for a little bit before, but I have zero doubts about us now, babe. You shouldn't have any either. Trust in our love. Trust in me like I trust in you, ok?

Now...on to the fun stuff. ;) (Read: Naughty...)

What is the naughtiest thing you've ever thought about me?

For me? I think it'd have to be my dream last night. I did what you told me to do and played until I'd come three fucking times...and I think that led into some really, _really_ good dreams... They involved spankings and blindfolds and your cock sliding between my breasts...and you wouldn't let me come until I was about to explode from want. It was so fucking hot, I swear. I woke up sweating and panting this morning, aching enough that Mr. Showerhead got a workout once I'd convinced myself to get out of bed. (I swear, I've never played as much as I have since I met you! LOL)

Ok, babe...I've got to go. I want to get some more work done so I'm free tonight to catch up on some TV without feeling guilty about it.

Oh, by the way... My dad called this morning and said he was going to be busy this coming weekend, but he'd love to have us visit the weekend after. I know that's your birthday weekend, but I'll still have my phone and computer with me, so we can still email and talk all we want. I talked to the girls, and we'll probably go up Friday, late afternoon or evening and stay until late Sunday night. I just wanted to let you know now.

Love you, Edward. So very much.

Yours, always,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

Once I sent the email to Edward, I picked up the phone to call Alice.

"Hey, Bella!" she chirped in answer. "What's up, sweetie?"

I smiled. No matter how I was feeling, just talking to Alice made me feel better. "Just wanted to let you know that I planted the seed with Edward about visiting my dad. That way, when I'm out of touch for a few hours, he won't realize we're on our way to Florida, not to Forks."

I could hear her clapping her hands in excitement. "Excellent. He's going to get the shock of his life. Jasper said he has no idea we're planning anything."

Laughing, I shook my head. "That's true, but he does notice you and Jasper being all secretive in your phone conversations."

"That's okay," she said with a giggle. "Half the time, we're sneaking around for phone sex. Let him think whatever he wants."

_Of course they are. It's not like Edward and I are any different!_ I thought with a laugh.

Alice and I finished up the conversation quickly after that, making plans to get Rose and meet up for lunch the next day, and then I settled back in behind the computer, determined to do a few more chapters of editing before calling it quits for the day. I needed to earn some extra money if I was going to be heading to Tampa in less than two weeks!

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Whew! Does anyone else feel the heat with their sexting? LOL**

**I don't know about you, but I love that Bella is reassuring Edward now. Until they actually meet face to face, there will be a bit of insecurity on both their parts. If you've never been in a long-distance relationship where you haven't even met in person yet, you don't know how hard it is. You may know you love them, and you may know they love you, but there's going to be that little voice in the back of your head that says, "What if?" Once they meet face to face, that won't be an issue anymore. ;)**

**Finally, poor Edward...Bella is kind of cruel, lying about visiting her dad. *grin* But it'll be worth it. ;)**

**Ok, leave Bella some love and then read on to Sarge's response. And relax! Four chapters today. ;) – Jenny**


	80. Chapter 80: Edward

**A/N #1: Okay, so the girls are laying the foundation to their surprise visit. Remember, Jasper's the only guy working with them on this. You can't tell Emmett anything...he's got a big mouth! LOL Now, can Bella keep the secret? ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:34 P.M.**

_E: I need to see your sweet face. Please tell me you can meet me on Skype in twenty minutes? **gives pouty bottom lip**_

I shoved the rest of my cheeseburger in my mouth, wadded up my garbage, and exited the truck. Walking into the house, I threw my garbage away and grabbed a beer from the fridge. I was happy as hell that it was fucking Friday, even more that Jasper and Emmett had decided to stop off at a bar for a beer with a few of the guys. I'd bowed out gracefully. Beer I could drink at home; I needed to see my girl.

_B: No need for the heavy weapons, Sarge! LOL I'll be there. :)_

Chuckling, I walked into my bedroom, practically leaving a trail of dirty clothes from my door to my bathroom. I wanted to shower off the damn week. It had been frustrating, tiring, and just damn long. The recruits were great, learning quickly and listening intently to all that we taught them, but even they were ready for the weekend.

As I stepped under the hot spray, I shook my head at just how little I'd been able to talk to Bella. We'd called and texted more than emailed, but for me, none of it was enough. I just really wanted to hear her voice, but more than that, I wanted to see her beautiful face.

Tugging on a pair of underwear and cargo shorts, I set my laptop on my bed, falling down next to it on my side. It didn't take me long to log onto Skype and hit video call. Soon, the best thing I'd laid eyes on all week popped up on my screen.

"Hey, babe," she sang with a smile.

"Hi, beautiful," I sighed, finally feeling relaxed for the first time in a week. "You are a fan-fucking-tastic sight for sore eyes."

She grinned, but her brow wrinkled adorably. "My poor baby. That bad?"

"Yes," I grumped, shaking my head and leaning it on my hand. "I think I'm too hard on these new guys, Bella. I just... I don't want them to come home in a fucking box. I had too many close calls over there myself...lost too many men. I just... They're so young."

This shit had been bothering me for the last few days. I'd talked about it with the guys, but they felt the same way as I did, that the new guys needed to be pushed hard.

"I'd think you'd have to be hard on them," she mused, tilting that gorgeous head of hers. "I mean, if you're tough on them now, Edward, then they're prepared. Right?"

"I guess," I sighed, grimacing.

"Do they hate you?" she asked.

"A little," I chuckled, shrugging a shoulder.

"Well, then, they're already forming a team. Push them, tell them what it's really like, babe. They need to know," she stated firmly. "I had a professor do that in college. He pushed us until we hated him, but our dislike of him made us work harder together to get our projects perfect."

I smiled, letting out a deep breath. "I've missed you."

She giggled. "Yeah, me, too. I'm liking this wet-look, ab-heaven you've got for me." She raised an eyebrow, biting her bottom lip as she gestured toward the screen. "Thanks, Sarge..."

"Anything for you," I muttered wryly, smirking at her laugh. "What did you do today?"

"I was just now taking a break from an editing project. I was rereading your email," she snorted, rolling her eyes up at me. "Really, babe? Your naughtiest thought was the whole slutty teacher thing? That's seriously lacking in imagination, Edward."

I laughed, my head falling back. "You asked! If you don't want to know, then don't ask, Miss Swan," I told her. "And trust me, sweetheart...nothing was _lacking_ in my little daydream." I raised an eyebrow up at her.

"You so had me with glasses, my hair in a bun, a short skirt, and like lacy-topped stockings, didn't you?" she giggled. "Were you in detention?"

"Yup! Sure was." I grinned and nodded. "I was a very bad boy."

"I just bet you were," she snickered.

I smiled at her, narrowing my eyes. "Are you in my shirt?"

"I am," she answered, looking down at it, only to wrinkle her little nose when she looked back up at me. "Though, it doesn't smell like you anymore," she said sadly.

"I'll send you another one, love. What color? I'll sleep in it tonight," I promised – anything to put the giggle back in her voice.

"I don't care." She smiled beautifully and shrugged. "Surprise me, Edward. I'll trade you. I'll wash this one and send it back."

"Keep it, baby," I snickered, waving it off.

"You can't keep sending me your shirts, babe, because soon, you'll be out. And I can't have my man naked without me there to shoo away the flies," she laughed.

Chuckling, I rolled my eyes. "I'm all yours, my Bella. I don't even see the..._flies_ anymore."

"Still... No need to attract unwanted attention," she huffed dramatically. "As Rose would say... 'Don't make me cut a bitch!'"

I couldn't help but crack the hell up. Fuck, just this short amount of time with her and my entire being was happy. It was as if the tough week had never even happened.

"God, I've missed your smile," she sighed, settling back against the headboard. "Okay, Masen... Time is running short. Are you _sure_ there isn't anything I can get you for your birthday?"

"You." I shrugged. "I don't need anything else, my love. Aren't you baking me a cake?"

"It's a good thing you work out, Edward," she laughed, shaking her head. "You'd explode with all the sweets I send you. And yes, I'll make you a cake. I promise. Nothing else?"

"Nope, sweet girl. If I can't have you, I'll take your baking," I told her honestly.

"Oh, Edward," she sighed, looking sadder than I'd ever seen her. "I promised Charlie... I can't... You know I would if I could..."

"Hey, I know that, sweetheart," I soothed her, shaking my head and wishing like hell I could hold her. "I promise you that I'm not upset about it. Now... Tell me what I've missed this week..."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I know you're in a hurry to see the rest of this conversation. That was the reason behind the double posting today. :) Go on... I'll have an announcement at the end of the very last chapter.**

**Mooches, Deb. :)**


	81. Chapter 81: Bella

**A/N #1: We couldn't very well break up that Skype conversation, now could we? And gah! Sarge killed even me about it. Poor Bella very nearly cracks, but she knows it'll be worth it. ;) So read on! I'll see you at the bottom. :)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, June 11, 2010 at 7:10 P.M.**

"Oh, Edward," I sighed, feeling my heart break at his sad, sweet words. "I promised Charlie... I can't... You know I would if I could..."

"Hey, I know that, sweetheart," he said with a shake of his head, his tone instantly softened. "I promise you that I'm not upset about it. Now... Tell me what I've missed this week..."

I felt horrible – absolutely wrecked – about lying to him about the next weekend. I knew it was for a good cause, because in the end, the surprise would be worth it, but even though he was trying so hard to sound strong, I could tell he was feeling a little hurt that I was spending the weekend with my father rather than making the trip to Florida to see him – or so he thought. The only thing I could do to make him feel better would be to either fess up about our plans or distract him, so like he'd asked, I started telling him about my week.

"Hmm," I mused, putting a finger to my lips and tapping a few times. "Let's see... Well, for one, this is the first evening I've had to myself all week." I snorted. "I think the girls have been afraid I'll be too lonely now that you are so close and yet still so far away, because they've appointed themselves my babysitters. I hated to say anything, because frankly, they're kind of right... But still, it's good to have the house to myself for the night."

Edward smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. When he spoke, I knew why.

"Sweetheart, I know you've been on your own for a while now... Are you sure you're going to want me there all the—"

I frowned, shaking my head as I interrupted him. "Edward Masen, you listen to me and you listen good." When he was quiet for a moment, I continued. "Having you here? That's my biggest dream right now, honey." I readjusted myself on the bed, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. "Yes, I've been living alone for a few years now, but it's not like I _want_ to be alone. You being here will make my life complete. It will make this house into a home. Rose and Alice are great, and I love them like sisters, but it's a constant bevy of conversation. There's no real quiet, where I'm listening to them play me something on the piano while I read, or where we sit together on the couch and read or watch something on TV. _Those_ are the things I'm looking forward to once you've moved in here with me. You feel me?"

He was quiet for a second, and then a wicked slow grin crawled up face. "Not yet, love, but as soon as we're together I will be..."

I couldn't help myself. I threw my head back and laughed, loving the hell out of his dirty-as-fuck mind.

"Anyway..." I stuck my tongue out at him, winking. "I finished my second manuscript today and already got sent a third to work on, so that's nice. This one is a paranormal romance, which I love, so that should be fun."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Paranormal, as in vampires and werewolves and supernatural hoohah like that?"

Laughing, I nodded. "Yeah, babe, exactly like that. It's a male vampire who falls in love with a human girl. It should be good."

I thought I heard him mumble _better you than me_, but I couldn't be sure, so I just ignored it. I knew I'd enjoy it even if it wasn't something he'd like.

"Let's see... Oh! I think I need to go to the dentist next week. I bit down on some caramel popcorn last night, and I think I chipped my back molar pretty badly. I can feel a rough edge," I told him, running my tongue across my damaged tooth.

"Ouch," Edward said with a frown. Rubbing his hand over his jaw, he asked, "Will you be okay?"

I waved him off. "I'll be fine. I'm not really afraid of the dentist. I'm sure he'll just have to file it down. No biggie."

"Okay, good." He smiled. "You can always text me if you need me, sweetheart."

"I know, babe. Thank you." I was quiet for a moment, thinking of what else he hadn't heard about my week, and then my eyes fell on the bag in the corner. "Oh! I didn't tell you about going shopping today, did I?"

Edward shook his head. "Nope. What'd you shop for? Stuff for cookies?" His tone was teasing, but ever so hopeful.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Hold that thought."

Scrambling off the bed, I jumped to my feet and moved over to get the striped pink bag. Bending down to pick it up, I heard a groan from the computer.

"Fuck, Bella," Edward growled softly. "You're trying to kill me, aren't you, beautiful? My shirt _and_ no panties?"

I made a squeaking noise and dropped the bag, pulling the shirt down over my ass. "Shit!" I hissed, feeling my face flame. I hadn't meant to give him a show.

"Aww, baby, you weren't supposed to cover it up..."

I grabbed the bag, keeping my hand on the hem of my shirt to keep it from riding up again, and walked back to the bed, deciding to play it cool.

"I figured I'd probably be wet just from hearing your voice, so why dirty up a perfect good pair of panties?" I teased.

This time, he groaned and reached down below the camera. From the movement of his chest and arm, I could tell he was adjusting himself.

"You still didn't have to cover it back up," he huffed. "I barely got a glimpse of that sweet ass, Isabella. That wasn't nearly enough."

I felt my face flame again and almost said fuck it, reaching for my shirt, but then I remembered the decision I'd come to shortly after making the plans for our trip to Florida.

"Soon, babe," I teased. "I kind of want to wait until you can see it all in person...if that's okay with you. I want it to be special when you see me for the first time and not just over the webcam." Giggling, I said, "You, on the other hand... If you want to show me what those shorts are covering, you can absolutely feel free."

My heart rate tripled as Edward immediately turned the camera enough for me to see down the line of his body. His hand went to the outside of his shorts, and I could see as he wrapped his hand around himself from the outside. I was nearly panting, ready to do fucking anything to get him to take the shorts off when he stopped and moved the laptop back to his face.

"I think that's a good idea, sweetheart," he said sweetly, his voice anything but. It was full of teasing and sexiness. "Anticipation will make it even sweeter."

I groaned, suddenly _very_ unsure that I wouldn't die of want before then.

"What's in the bag, Isabella?" he said in a smooth voice. "Is that some pretty panties for me?"

Giggling, I teased, "Well, they were for me, but if you really want them, I suppose I can get a new pair for myself..."

"Hush, silly girl," Edward laughed. "I meant for me to see on you, and you know it. Now...I want to see the spoils of that shopping trip, love."

I shook my head. "Not so fast, Masen," I teased. These were for our trip; there was no way I was showing him now. "These are a gift for you, yes, but they're a surprise, babe. If I show you now, they won't be a surprise when you get pictures, will they? If you're a good boy, maybe I'll even take one tonight so you have it tomorrow, hmm?"

He grinned, raising an eyebrow. "I can be a very good boy, Isabella," he purred. "You should know that by now."

Laughing, I set the bag aside. "Go take another shower and work off some of that lust you're putting out there, baby. I need to go eat dinner."

Edward pouted, but nodded. "Yeah, I suppose that's a good idea. You need your strength if you're going to keep up with me." He winked sexily.

Rolling my eyes, I just giggled. "You're incorrigible. I love you, Edward."

"Oh, baby," he huffed, suddenly serious again. "I love you, too, sweetheart. Can we talk again before I go back to work on Monday?"

I smiled, loving how fucking sweet he was. "Of course. And you need to sit down and write me an email... You've got to come up with a question now, ya know."

"Good. I have to do some laundry tomorrow, and I need to run to the post office. I have to mail you a new T-shirt, after all. We'll talk tomorrow night?"

"I'll be here," I promised.

My heart began to ache as I waited for the words I always hated to hear.

"All right. That will have to do, then, I suppose." He smiled softly. "I love you, beautiful. Talk to you again tomorrow night."

"'Kay. Good night, Edward."

"Bye, love." He reached toward the camera, and then the screen went black.

With a heavy heart, I closed my Skype, grabbed a clean pair of panties from the drawer, and went to heat up some dinner.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Gah. Kill me now... D-E-D, I swear. Poor Bella & Edward aren't doing much better! LOL**

**Ok, I don't have anything else to say, really... They NEED to get together like NOW. And I promise, it's coming. ;) So go on. Leave us some love, and then go read the last chapter for today. Deb has a note for you at the bottom of the next chapter that you'll want to read, I promise. *grin* Love you guys! – Jenny**


	82. Chapter 82: Edward

**A/N #1: I should tell you Sarge has a very...active imagination. ;) That being said, this chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING...though, you don't always heed it, I know. LOL And... Note the time-stamp here, and then see me at the bottom...**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 9:23 A.M.**

"_Morning, Sarge," she purred from the doorway of my bathroom as I propped myself against the headboard. Bella was wearing nothing but my T-shirt, her long legs smooth and bare as she crossed one over the other, leaning against the doorjamb._

"_C'mere," I begged...or ordered – I wasn't sure which._

_Watching her saunter across my room was just about too much to bear. When she hit the foot of the bed, she crawled to me, grasping the sheet I was covered by and giving it a good tug. My dick stood at attention for her, and she licked her lips slowly as she leaned down, bracing her hands on my thighs. Beautiful brown eyes never left mine as she bowed to give the underside of my cock one long, torturously slow lick._

_I hissed, my head thumping back to the wall behind me. "Shit, Bella, no..." I pleaded because as much as I wanted those sweet lips wrapped around my dick, I needed her close, wanted to wrap myself around her._

_Bella relented, crawling the rest of the way up my body. Straddling my thighs, she trapped my erection between us, but I wanted to touch. I skimmed my hand up bare, smooth thighs and underneath the T-shirt she was wearing, gathering it up to yank it off over her head. Deep mahogany curls fell around her shoulders, landing against creamy skin and hard, peaked nipples._

_My hands cupped her breasts, kneaded, thumbs bringing her to higher and tighter points. Her whole body rolled in a wave, her sweet, wet pussy gliding up my shaft, causing both of us to cry out. Placing a hand in the middle of her back, I arched her body up so I could kiss, lick, and tease, tasting and marking what was mine._

_Dragging my teeth along her collarbone at the same time I slipped my fingers through her folds, I whispered, "Are you ready for me, love?"_

"_Yes, Edward... Please!" she panted, threading her fingers in my short hair as best they could to pull me up to her face while her hips rolled, trying to get friction from my hand, my dick...anything._

_Forehead to forehead, I lost myself in deep, darkening brown. My heart ached with how much I loved her. It felt like my chest would explode with the power of it all._

"_I love you," I breathed, nipping at her lips, "and I need you..."_

_Bracing her hands on my shoulders, she allowed me to lift her up, position myself at her entrance, and slowly glide her down over me. With every inch, I caught every gasp of breath on my tongue, suckling her top lip, her bottom lip, finally catching my own name in my mouth once she'd taken me in completely._

_My hands gripped her ass, guiding her, showing her just how much I could make her feel good. She was beautiful and fluid, catching up to my rhythm easily. Pushing me back against the headboard of the bed, she nipped at my jaw, urging me to let go, telling me she was close, that she'd never felt that good._

_The tugs on my hair, the wicked words in my ear, and the feel of teeth along the skin of my neck caused me to speed up. When her insides fluttered around me, there was no more holding back. I gripped her ass hard – probably too hard – and came heavily and deeply inside of her._

"Shit!" I hissed, my body spent. I'd just barely caught my seed before it spilled all over the shirt I was supposed to be sending in the mail.

My head fell back to the wall with a thump as I tried to see straight again. Never had I wanted someone as much as I wanted Bella. Seeing her the night before on Skype had only proven it. I was glad she was the stronger of the two of us, because I hadn't been but a second away from begging her to take my shirt off so that I could see every inch of her. I wanted to coax orgasm after orgasm from her, see her stunning face as she came hard under just my command. But she'd been right; some things needed to wait. My hands balled up into fists because I ached to remove the shirt myself. Our relationship might not have been traditional, but dammit if I didn't want to do things right with her when I finally got my hands on her.

The house was quiet when I finally dragged my ass out of bed. Reaching back, I took off my shirt and draped it across the dresser in order to pack it up and send it to Bella later.

About an hour later, I found myself standing in line at the post office, the rather manly woman behind the counter staring at me. I decided to concentrate more on my phone than the hungry looks she was giving me.

_E: I hate if this wakes you, but you SO owe me! There's a scary woman at the post office staring at me. I think she may eat me. :/_

It wasn't sixty seconds before a reply came.

_B: LOL See? If you had that "Property of Bella" tattoo we'd discussed, then this wouldn't be an issue._

_E: You'd want me to show her my ass? What kind of girlfriend are you?_

_B: *giggles* Okay, well... maybe I didn't think that through properly. It's early, Edward! Is she prettier than me?_

_E: Hell, no! She looks like Rush Limbaugh!_

_B: LMAO! :) Nice. Go for it, babe._

_E: Absolutely not! I'm a ruined man. Go back to sleep, sweet girl. Thanks for saving me in this line._

_B: Love you, handsome. And anytime... *mwah*_

After a few errands and a quick trip through the drive-thru for the guys, I finally sat down to my computer as my clothes washed and dried.

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, June 13, 2010 at 12:56 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, June 12, 2010 at 9:56 P.M.  
Subject: I hope you went back to sleep...

My beautiful Bella...

I'm so sorry I woke you up this morning. I just couldn't help it. The lady was just too frightening for me to even attempt to ignore. BTW, Rush Limbaugh's real name was Marge. O_o She called me a cutie, even after I told her I was mailing my girlfriend a present. **shudders** Anyway, you should have your shirt by Monday or Tuesday, sweetheart. And it's still fine by me if you keep the first one.

It feels strange having a weekend with not much to really do, though I'm sure the guys have some ideas. However, they went back to bed. LOL Apparently, they imbibed way too much alcohol last night. I can't say that I missed anything, because I had a Skype date with the most beautiful woman I know. ;)

Bella, I hope you understand that I wasn't truly upset last night. Yes, absolutely, I would love it if you came here, but I'm well aware that you plan out your summer every year and that Charlie is a part of that. I'm really okay with it. Listen, a few months ago, we didn't think I'd even be stateside this early, so the fact that I can call you anytime I need to makes me over-the-top happy.

I still want my cake, though! **grin**

My turn for a question, Miss Swan. What do you like to do to wind down? (Non-naughty, beautiful...) When shit just piles up and gets to you, what helps you find your calm? For me, it used to be my piano. I'd sit down and just...play. It was whatever popped into my mind. It would start angry, but slowly, I would mellow out into something softer or something that I'd written. But I haven't played in so long. I miss it. Now, I go for a run – though calling you has become just as soothing.

Which reminds me... Call me whenever you want tomorrow. I have no plans unless the guys drag me off somewhere, but if they do, I'll text you.

I love you so very much, Isabella. More than I think you can even conceive.

Forever yours,  
Edward

P.S. As much as I truly want to see every inch of your sweet skin, I need to thank you for last night. I lose myself when it comes to you, Bella. That's the fucking truth. You're right. Some things should definitely be saved until we actually meet face to face. But I need you to know this... Never, _ever_ be embarrassed in front of me. As beautiful as your blush is, you need to know that there is not one part of you – whether I've seen it or not – that I won't find perfect. That should have been really obvious with the way I reacted to you. You're everything I never knew to ask for, sweetheart, and I can't be ashamed that I truly just fucking want you. However, when I finally do get the amazing honor to touch you... All bets are off. There won't be a spot on your entire body that I won't have claimed as mine, including that sweet ass I barely got a glimpse of last night.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: **passes out ShamWows** I have to keep a huge supply of those now...per your requests. LOL**

**Okay, so it seems a countdown was indeed something that you guys all want. Let's do this... This is written in 2010. June 20, 2010 fell on a Sunday. However, you know the girls would take advantage of the guys' weekend. Which means...they would fly in on Friday the 18th. The girls are also already setting plans. In this chapter, it's the 12th. AND...we aren't writing or posting real time, so 6 days becomes...significantly less. Got me? That's the last and only spoiler I'm giving on this.**

**Some of you are also bracing yourselves for something horrid to happen – plane crashes, Bella getting hurt, Sarge shipping back out. STOP IT! ;) This has been angst-free so far, with minimal drama. It will stay that way. This was written to be lighthearted and fun. Okay? ;) Good!**

**We love you guys so much. Thank you for taking this journey with us. It's far from over, so just know that we love that you're in it for the long haul. See you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	83. Chapter 83: Bella

**A/N #1: One step closer... Thank you for all the love & support. Seriously, you guys have brought me to tears several times, and I can't thank you enough. Now, go on. You know you want to read. ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, June 13, 2010 at 10:03 A.M.  
Date Received: Sun, June 13, 2010 at 1:03 P.M.  
Subject: Pfft! Wake me anytime, babe!

Hi, baby,

I did get back to sleep without any problems, but I'm glad you texted. Never be worried about waking me up, Edward. I'm always up for talking to you, anytime you need me – whether it's just for a sympathetic ear, for some loving words, or just to hear my voice.

Yay for a new shirt! You're getting this one back, mister, and not just because it'll have my scent on it. ;) Notice the flies or not...you're still not getting naked for anyone but me. *grin*

I know you weren't upset, I suppose. But I do know you're disappointed, and I hate that. If I promise to make it up to you, does that help?

Hmm, what helps me wind down? TV is a good stress reliever for me. I like to lose myself in the crazy world of not-so-reality television. But books, I'd have to say, are the number one (non-naughty) thing. I can immerse myself in a world of fantasy or romance or mystery and forget all my troubles for a while. I think it's kind of like your music. And again like you...just hearing your voice or reading your sweet words has become something that can bring me up or calm me down, no matter my mood. I love you so much for that. *sigh*

You have no fucking idea how hard it was to keep from taking our Skype call to a whole other level last night, Sarge. I wanted to beg you to show me what was under those shorts, to watch you touch yourself. Fuck... But I'm determined that the first time we see each other completely, we're there together, where I can touch you and taste you, not just look at you through the computer screen. It's so fucking hard, though, babe. I just have to keep reminding myself that the wait will be worth it.

I need to go. Got some plans with the girls today. Not sure what we're doing, but I'll find out soon since they're supposed to be here in about half an hour.

I love you, Edward. I'll call tonight so we can talk again before you go back to work tomorrow.

Always,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 3:24 P.M.**

"Okay, Alice," I huffed, looking up from my checklist. "You talked to Jasper, and he solidified plans with the delivery people?"

"Yeah, Bella." She rolled her eyes as she answered me for the third or fourth time. "I know you're nervous, but you can chill out a bit. Everything's going to be perfect."

I sighed. "I know. I can't help it. That's a huge gift, and I want to make sure it won't get there _after_ we've gotten to the house... I don't want it to get there while the boys are still home."

"Bella..." Rose looked up from her magazine, giving me a sympathetic grin. "We've been over this... Jasper convinced Emmett that they need to take Edward out to dinner before going out to the club on Friday night. They are going to be out of there by six o'clock, giving them enough time after they get out of training at five to go home, shower, and change clothes. Our plane will get in just after four, so we'll find someplace to hang out until Jasper gives us the all-clear. The delivery guys will get to the house at seven, giving us plenty of time to get there and start getting ready, but before we have to meet the guys at eight. So chill, woman. You're going to give yourself an ulcer."

Hearing it spelled out like that did calm me down. There was so much going into this surprise for Edward that I was afraid with one little tug, the entire thing would just come unraveled. And while that was all well and good for the tiny piece of silk and lace I planned to surprise him with on his birthday, that wouldn't be good for the rest of our plans.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, trying to relax and trust that we had it all under control. "Thanks, guys. I'm just nervous. It doesn't help that Edward and I haven't had much time this week to talk. I've been nervous about ruining the surprise, and you know they've been pushing hard at work, so he's been tired all week. We've had a few emails and texts, but no phone calls since the one on Sunday night...and I miss his voice."

My girls nodded, totally getting where I was coming from since they hadn't had much time with Emmett or Jasper this week, either.

"Okay, so, now that your freak-out is over," Alice told me with a wink, "let's talk plans for tomorrow. Spa, yes?"

I grabbed my drink from the table and nodded, settling in as the two of them began chatting about what we were having done. My mind, as always, though, was on my man.

It was going to be a long two days!

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: See? There was a time-jump. ;) Not there quite yet, but once you read Sarge's chapter, you'll know exactly when they will meet face to face. *grin***

**Man...Bella feels kind of horrible about deceiving Edward, doesn't she? And she kind of slipped there, with the "But I'm determined that the first time we see each other completely, we're there together, where I can touch you and taste you, not just look at you through the computer screen." Oops? ;)**

**Ok, now that you've seen more of their plan, go read Sarge. I have my fingers in my ears now in case you squeal at Deb's note & stuff. LOL *hugs* – Jenny**


	84. Chapter 84: Edward

**A/N #1: I need to explain something really quick before you move on. There have been a number of you that have accepted Bella's waiting time at face value. Excellent! For those that haven't, let me explain something. The reason Bella didn't just "jump on a plane" was because in all reality, she doesn't know Edward. She's leaning on Alice and Rose, who have both been through this type of thing before. However, those girls are tight! Like sisters, tight. They are guiding her through the unknown here. Personally, I couldn't imagine what it would take to finally find the balls to go meet someone I didn't know. For all her bravery, Bella is still a nervous woman. Honestly, you'd have to ask Jenny how she felt. In love with Sarge or not, this is a HUGE step for our girl. Okay? It takes big planning for me to visit my brother in Atlanta, so I can't imagine preparing for this. Just sayin'. **shrugs****

**Now... :D NOTE THE TIME-STAMP! You know the girls' plan – it's just a matter of guiding Sarge through it.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 12:01 P.M.**

"Hi, handsome!" Bella sang over the phone, and I finally smiled for the first time in what seemed like days.

"Hey, sweetheart," I sighed in contentment as I decided to walk from the training facility to the food court. I needed a minute away from every-fucking-body. "Please tell me you haven't forgotten me and that you still love me."

A sweet giggle met my ear. "Hmm, let's see... Is this that tall sexy thing I know? You know, the one with the killer smile, a jaw I have secret fantasies about, abs that go on for days, and a voice that makes me all swoony?"

"Yup. That's him...er, me." I grinned like an idiot, but I didn't give a shit.

"Then nope...haven't forgotten you. And I'm head over heels for you," she laughed.

Chuckling, I shook my head. "Good, because I'm so sorry I've been so busy."

"Aw, Edward, please don't apologize. So soon we've become spoiled, talking all the time. It's okay if it doesn't happen. I'm certainly not upset about it. I live for these moments...right here, babe," she assured me.

"Me, too. What are you wearing?" I asked with a laugh.

"Um...sweats, Edward. I can't lie," she giggled. "If you want me to make something up, then tell me."

"No! Hell, no. Don't make it up," I told her. "I have a feeling whatever you come up with will cause me trouble walking on this base. Just...no. Is it sad that I find the sweats sexy, too?"

She burst into a fit a giggles. "A little, but I'm sure you in sweats would be too much for me to handle, so we'll call it even. Shall we?"

"Fine, even," I sighed, rolling my eyes at her, even though she couldn't see me.

"Good," she said, the laugh still in her voice. "It's chilly today because it's rainy outside, so I put on sweats to get my house ready and pack. Later, the girls and I have a date at the spa to get ready for the weekend."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked, both intrigued and extremely jealous. "What are you getting done?"

"The whole works – hair, nails..._waxing_," she said, leaning on the last word.

I moaned in want, my imagination running wild – soft hair, smooth skin...really fucking smooth skin. "Damn, Bella... You should save that for me..."

She laughed. "This is girl time, Edward. Not just for my trip."

My nose wrinkled and my heart broke just a little at the fact that she'd be going to Charlie's – not that I was mad about it, but damn, I'd give anything to have her come to me. Maybe it was the whole patience thing. We were so fucking close to the end, yet so far away. I really just needed to count my blessings and shut the fuck up. A few weeks prior, I couldn't call my girl whenever I wanted, so shit was definitely improving. And I definitely couldn't fault her for wanting to see her father. There were times when I'd give up a limb to have just one more conversation with my mother, so yeah, I certainly couldn't stop my girl if she wanted to spend time with her dad.

"Beautiful, please promise me you'll be careful going to your dad's," I begged, trying not to let every fucking awful scenario run through my head, from slippery, rainy roads, to some sort of animal running out in front of them, to kidnappings at the fucking gas station.

"We will, babe. I promise," she vowed. "You'll _definitely_ hear from me tomorrow. I'm not sure what time, but you will."

"Okay, baby." I was slightly placated, but not by much. Nothing could happen to the sweet girl on the other end of the line. I wasn't sure I'd survive it. I needed her too much, loved her too much to even consider it.

"Alice says Jasper is taking you out for an early birthday thing tomorrow," she snickered. "What'choo doin', big guy? Say strip club, and we're gonna have issues, mister."

I laughed at just the mere thought. "Uh, no. No, ma'am, no strip clubs. Just food and then drinks at a bar the guys heard about. I'm not sure I even want to go. I told them it wasn't a big deal, that we could just hang at the house."

"Go, babe," she urged. "You'll have a good time. Em and Jazz know how to celebrate. Trust me," she laughed. "You need it after this week. Have a drink... For me?"

"We'll see," I hedged.

"No, no, no. Promise me you'll go."

Grinning, I stopped just outside the food court. "Okay, okay, I'll go. You're awfully bossy, sexy girl," I teased.

"Get used to it," she giggled. "You'll learn to embrace it."

"I already have," I snorted. "Love you, my sweet girl. I need to grab a quick lunch. I'll email you in the morning. Okay?"

"Love you, too, babe."

~oooOOOooo~

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Fri, June 18, 2010 at 6:34 A.M.  
Date Received: Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 3:34 A.M.  
Subject: I know...broken record... PLEASE BE SAFE!

Hey, my Bella...

I just wanted to drop you a quick email for when you got up in the morning. I'm not going to stop worrying about you, so don't ask it of me. Please be careful driving.

I'll have you know that I finally conceded to Jasper's plans for tonight. **sigh** I really just don't think it's necessary, but they insist, you insist, and I'm going. Emmett said that I had to go, because you guys always celebrate birthdays. Like it's some sort of tradition. Jasper said that it was just a reason to drink. LOL I still say I could drink at the house. **shrugs** But then Alice screamed over the phone that it was what family did for each other. LOL She's bossier than you, baby. ;) No wonder she's perfect for Jasper.

Things should lighten up next week at the base. I found out yesterday just before we left that one of the first squads is being sent over to Afghanistan, which removes about a dozen men from our class. They're needed for a mission over there. I think they'll be working with Special Ops. I'm not cleared for details, nor do I want them. I just hope they remember their training.

Sweetheart, I'm going for a run. Please call me, text me, _something_ when you get to your dad's tonight, and tell him the guys and I say hello. Okay?

I love you so much...more than I ever thought it possible to love someone. I just don't think I can get that across to you without you thinking I've snapped. LOL You're every thought, fantasy, and heartbeat that I have, my beautiful girl.

Forever yours,  
Edward

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Feel free to squee... I don't mind. ;) If you're calculating, then you'll understand that this weekend will be it...like IT! You know, that thing you've been begging for? LOL Honestly, we wanted to scream it at you, but we really didn't want to spoil it. You guys kept begging for a time-jump, but there were things Jenny and I wanted to accomplish between Sarge and Bella before these next few chapters. It wasn't to torture you, really. :) It drove us crazy, believe me.**

**I'm pretty sure I don't have to tell you to be here tomorrow, but I will tell you to strap in and hold on. ;) Mooches, Deb. :)**


	85. Chapter 85: Bella

**A/N #1: Won't bore you with a lot of stuff here, because I know you're anxious. It's a 4 chapter day, and as you'll see when you start reading, it's the 18th of June & the girls are making their way to Florida. Yay! Thank you guys for all the love! Now, go read. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, June 18, 2010 at 5:56 A.M.**

I stowed my carry-on in the bin above my head and sat down next to Rose. Alice had gotten the window seat, while I'd been stuck on the aisle.

"I'm so fuc—uh, freakin' tired," I said with a sigh as I buckled my seat belt. "I couldn't sleep a wink last night."

"Not to mention we had to get up at the butt crack of dawn to make this flight," Rose grumbled from beside me.

"It does seem kind of ridiculous to have to leave at six in the morning to get to Tampa at four in the afternoon," Alice agreed. "Stupid time zones and shit."

Laughing, I said, "My favorite part is having the hour layover in Dallas. I dunno...just seems like there could be a better place than having to go all the way down there."

The girls agreed with me, and then we were all quiet as the flight attendants gave their safety spiel. Once they were done and the plane was taxiing down the runway, Rose turned to me.

"Are you going to try to sleep?" She gestured over to Alice, who had earbuds in and a sleep mask over her eyes.

I shrugged. "I'm not going to fight it, but I don't know if I'll be able to sleep. I guess we'll see."

The flight to Dallas was uneventful. Alice slept most of the way, while Rose and I played silly little games, like Hangman and Tic-Tac-Toe. During the hour layover in Dallas, the three of us – like most of the passengers continuing on with us or on another flight – found something quick to eat before going to sit and wait at our new gate.

I wanted to cry and scream when, due to mechanical problems, that flight was delayed by nearly an hour, which would put us in Tampa right around five o'clock. We'd still be okay time-wise for our plans, as long as nothing unforeseen happened on the this leg of the flight. This time, I had the middle seat, while Rose got the window and Alice had the aisle. Rose offered to change with me, but I waved her off.

"I think I'm going to close my eyes. I don't think I'll sleep, but hopefully it'll make the time pass faster," I explained. Anything to help calm my nerves.

~oooOOOooo~

_Dressed in a short black skirt, shiny, dark blue button-up shirt, and black heeled boots, I made my way carefully up the steps to the house. My hair was curled to perfection, and my makeup was understated but made my cheeks a little less pale and my eyes pop. I was ready to surprise Edward. I just hoped the surprise would be a welcome one._

_I gave three sharp raps to the front door and then took one step back, wringing my hands together in front of me. The sound of footsteps walking toward the door echoed in the otherwise quiet evening, and I held my breath in anticipation. When Edward opened the door, he was everything I'd dreamed and more. He was wearing a pair of jeans hanging low on his hips and no shirt, showing off his chest, abs, and that yummy vee with the light trail of hair leading down below the waist of the denim. His feet were bare, and I took a second to realize that even his toes were sexy._

_When my eyes got back up to his face, I realized I didn't see nearly the reaction I'd been hoping for. Instead of excitement and love, there was almost disinterest, a polite smile like one would give a stranger._

"_May I help you?" he asked, holding the screen door open with one hand as he casually leaned against the door frame._

"_Edward? It's me... Bella." My voice came out as a whine, almost begging him to quit playing whatever game he was playing._

_He quirked an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm Edward. Do I know you?"_

_Gasping, I stumbled back. "Of course you do. What's going on? We've been writing for months, ever since you were overseas."_

_His expression changed, and he suddenly frowned, sighing. "I apologize. I wrote so many people while I was in Afghanistan. Sometimes it's hard to keep track." He smiled then. "I appreciate you coming by to say hello, though. Thanks for your letters, Betsy. Have—"_

"_Bella," I interrupted, unsure as to what the hell was going on._

"_Oh, sorry about that!" He shook his head, shrugging. "Like I said, sometimes it's hard to keep track. Have a safe trip back to...wherever you're from, Bella."_

_The disinterest I saw in his eyes once more as he turned away had me crying out his name._

"Bella!" a voice hissed, pulling me from the heartbreaking nightmare.

When I opened my eyes, Rose and Alice were both leaning over me, worried expressions on their faces. "Fuck!" I gasped, running a hand over my face.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked, her hand resting lightly on my arm.

Rose brushed a curl away from my face gently. "You were really restless, and then you screamed Edward's name. Scared the crap out of everyone."

Instead of answering, I started scrambling out of my seat, desperate to get to the phone in my pocket. "I need to talk to Edward. I have to call him."

My girls pulled me back down, each with a hand on my shoulder and another on my hands that were still trying to get out my phone.

"B, you can't right now. We're just about to land. You can call as soon as we get off the plane, okay?" Rose gestured to the flight attendant, who was walking toward us, leaning over passengers to help with their seat belts.

I looked at Alice, who nodded in agreement. "You can call or text him. Whatever it was, it's going to be okay. Do you want to talk about it?"

Did I? I tried to figure out if I wanted to tell them about my fear that somehow, I'd made more out of my relationship with Edward than was really there. That he didn't really love me...or that I had only been a temporary fling to help him pass the time until he was back in the U.S. I knew it was irrational. Edward and I had even had that discussion while he was in Germany. But apparently my subconscious still had lingering fears.

Shaking my head, I finally settled into my seat, grabbing the seat belt. "I just want Edward," I said, my voice quiet.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So Bella had a horrible dream. Things are just *right there* for her, and it is a little scary. Trust me. I've been in her shoes. This is a natural reaction. ;)**

**Please, leave Bella some love & encouragement before heading on to read Sarge's first chapter of the day. ;) – Jenny**


	86. Chapter 86: Edward

**A/N #1: I know you're not reading a word I say at this point, so I might as well just let it go. Just...see us at the end...**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 18, 2010 at 5:40 P.M.**

"Come on, Sarge! Let's go," Emmett called from what sounded like the living room.

"Keep your shorts on! Play a damn game or something," I snapped back, rolling my eyes. "Christ, if this shit is for my birthday, at least give me a break and don't rush me," I murmured to myself.

Pulling on my dark blue jeans and a black button-up shirt, I rolled up the sleeves and checked my phone. I hadn't heard from Bella yet, but that didn't mean anything. She was most likely still on the road. I put my shoes on and went into the bathroom to check my hair. It had grown out just a bit. The sides were still pretty short, but my usual unruly locks were never, ever going to be tamed, no matter how many times I ran my hands through it like I was doing right then.

I grabbed my keys, wallet, and phone, opening my bedroom door, only to be hit with loud voices from Emmett and Jasper.

"Hell, no! We're not going to the strip club, Emmett. Don't you remember Rose threatening your testicles the last time?" Jasper asked, his voice sounding exasperated.

I couldn't help but snicker at them as I leaned in the doorway. They fought like brothers, but never fucking held a grudge, no matter how big the argument.

"Let's put it to a vote," Emmett stated with a cheesy as hell grin. "Maybe Ed wants..."

"Oh, no! Don't you bring me in on this," I laughed. "Dinner, drinks...that's it. I happened to be rather attached to my nuts, man."

Jasper chuckled. "Bellsy told you no, didn't she?"

"She didn't have to, but yeah," I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Let's get this over with. Who's driving?"

"You are," Jasper stated, slapping my shoulder on his way by.

He just about reached the front door when my phone alerted to a text. I pulled it out, frowning at the message Bella sent me.

_B: Tell me you love me. Tell me that this...US...is real. Please!_

"Give me a moment, guys," I muttered, starting to dial.

"Aw, come on, Sarge... I'm fucking starving!" Emmett whined, rubbing his belly. "Just call Bells in the car..."

"I make this call now, or we don't fucking go at all. Got me?" I snapped, because her message worried me.

"Go, Ed," Jasper said softly, pointing down the hall at the same time he elbowed Emmett. "We'll wait."

I hit send on the phone and walked to my bedroom, closing the door.

"Edward!" Bella sobbed.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"N-Nightmare... I fell asleep and..." She stopped for a second, catching her breath, and my heart broke for her. She sounded utterly shattered. "So just...tell me!"

"Oh, baby, I love you so much," I groaned, sitting down on the edge of my bed. "Please, please don't cry. And of course this is real, my sweet, sweet girl. Whatever your nightmare was about can't change any of that. I'll tell you I love you all day, every day for as long as we live if it'll make you believe it."

"I believe it," she said with a sniffle. "I just...really needed to hear it."

"Trust me, I understand," I said, smiling softly. "Isabella Swan, listen to me. You are the very best thing that's ever happened to me. This part is so hard, but I know it'll be worth it when it's all over. I have faith in that...in you and me. Please, tell me that you do, too."

"Yes," she whispered. "So much, Edward...and that scares me."

"Me, too," I admitted. "I'm absolutely fucking terrified, but I'm also damned excited. I can't wait to see you in person, to finally set eyes on the sweetest, most beautiful person I've ever known. I can't wait to find out all the things that pictures and webcams didn't catch. I want to know if your blush goes as far down as I think it does, because if it hits your bellybutton, I may just lose my mind."

The giggle that finally met my ear made me exhale in relief and grin.

"Bella, where are my dog tags?" I asked her.

"Right here," she said, and I could actually hear the clink of them over the line.

"Good," I huffed dramatically. "If ever you need to know I'm with you, then you hold onto those, beautiful. Do you know what those are used for?"

"Identification?"

"Yes, specifically if someone dies. One stays on the soldier, the other is turned in to the CO to process his death. Our whole lives are on those two little pieces of metal...name, number, religion, blood type. And that's why I sent them to you. I sent you my whole life, Bella. It's yours to keep. So if you ever doubt us again, or if you just need to feel me with you, then you touch those and believe it."

"I love you, Edward," she said softly. "It just really scared me."

"It's not real. We are," I told her.

"I know," she said, and I could hear the smile in her voice now. "I better get going. They...umm...the girls pulled the car over for me to have my minor breakdown."

I chuckled. "Go, love. Let me know when you get to your dad's safely, okay?"

"Okay. Have fun tonight, Edward," she snickered.

"I'll try. Love you."

"Love you, too."

I walked out of my room to see the guys now patiently waiting by the front door. "We can go," I said, pulling out my keys.

"Everything okay?" Jasper asked, frowning up at me.

I nodded, smiling at him. "It is now."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: If you hadn't figured out by now, today is a surprise double posting for you. See us at the bottom of the very last chapter.**

**I know, I know...just keep going... LOL**

**Mooches, Deb. :)**


	87. Chapter 87: Bella

**A/N #1: *sigh* He's so swoony. Ok, go on! ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 18, 2010 at 5:50 P.M.**

I felt better after talking to Edward. Just hearing his voice had calmed me, and his sweet words about the two of us and his feelings for me were a soothing balm to my worried, nightmare-beaten heart. When he had asked about his dog tags, I'd reached up to take them in my hand, using that physical presence to ground me, and I hadn't let go yet.

Alice's phone chirped, and when Rose and I turned to looked at her, she grinned and held up the phone. "That was Jasper. We're all clear."

Thank fuck. I didn't think I could handle waiting any longer.

We were just blocks away from the boys' house, so within three minutes, we were walking up to the front door, dragging our bags behind us. Alice pulled out the key Jasper had slid under the cushion on one of the porch chairs when he had left the house a few minutes earlier.

I gave a cursory glance around the house as I walked through to the master bedroom. It was a bit of an older home, but the rooms were a great size, and it was nicely decorated. You could tell it was a rental, because there weren't a ton of personal items on the walls, but the guys had done a good job of setting up the entertainment unit. Even though they hadn't been here long, it had a nice, comfortable, lived-in feel.

"Bella, take a shower, and then we'll work on your hair," Rose said as she walked past me on her way to find Emmett's room. "Alice is going to wait until one of us is out so she can open the door for the delivery guys."

"Yes, ma'am," I answered, giving her a mock salute.

From what Edward had said, his room was at the end of the hall, so I continued down until I stood in the doorway. I knew immediately that I was in the right place. For one, the blue sheets stood out on the messy bed. For another, he had framed all the photos I'd sent him, as well as printed out and framed the ones I'd emailed, and they were everywhere – on the walls, the dresser, and one he must have snapped during our first Skype conversation in a dark blue frame on the bedside table. The rough, edgy feeling my nightmare had left me with started to soften at the sight of just my face so lovingly placed everywhere.

Dropping my bags, I collapsed on the edge of the bed, picking up one of the pillows and burying my face in it. The scent that I had smelled on the T-shirts he'd sent me invaded my head, and with it, the enormity of the situation dawned on me. I was within hours of finally seeing Edward face to face.

That thought spurred me into action. I could look around all I wanted later. Right now, I had to get ready to meet my man.

~oooOOOooo~

Just over ninety minutes later, Edward's gift had been set up in the corner of the living room, where he would see it when we came back later tonight. I was dressed in the tight black miniskirt, which hit me mid-thigh, and matching top, both covered in large white polka dots. I had a cropped, light gray denim jacket with sleeves that I would roll up to the elbows to put on over it just before we left. The big black buttons and visible stitching had caught my eye first, and I hadn't been able to resist splurging. It was mismatched, casual, but perfect for a beach bar in Florida.

The girls had blown my hair out into waves and left it messy and down around my shoulders. My lips were a deep red, and my eyes were smoky, but not overdone. Alice had tried to convince me to wear earrings and a couple of bracelets, but the only "jewelry" I was wearing were Edward's dog tags, which I had tucked into my dress.

"Ready, ladies?" I asked, handing Rose my phone, driver's license, credit card, cash, and lipstick. She was carrying a small wristlet that matched her smoking-hot red dress. Once we were with the guys, I'd give Edward my stuff, but for now, she'd offered to hold it for me.

Alice locked the door behind us, and we made our way to the car. We were due to meet the boys at the club just a handful of miles down the road from their house. According to Jasper, it was about a fifteen-minute drive.

We were quiet until we reached the club. I was lost in my thoughts about seeing Edward for the first time, of course. But as much as I was looking forward to seeing Edward, I knew Alice and Rose had worried about and missed their husbands something fierce. They'd been dealing with this a lot longer than I had, and I knew it didn't get any easier as time went on.

The music was loud as we stepped past the bouncer at the door, giving him smiles. Alice went first, since Rose would draw enough attention from the crowd that it might alert Edward, and if he were looking around, he was sure to spot me. Rose and I stayed in the shadows until Alice came back and gave us the all clear.

"They are at a table across the room. Edward has his back to the door, so we should be okay to go in." She giggled. "Even the short time I was watching, two girls came up to the table. They must have asked Edward to dance, because he looked at them long enough to shake his head no, and they had to walk away disappointed."

I grinned. That was my Edward. I'd had no doubts that he was a chick magnet. "Okay, so Alice, you're going to go—"

"Talk to the DJ, yeah," she finished for me. "Then I'll meet you over there"—she gestured to a spot off to the side, closer to the guys—"so we can surprise them."

Rose and I nodded, and when she turned around to head up to the booth to speak to the man behind the music, we started making our way to the spot she'd indicated.

As we waited, I watched while two more girls – both young, hot, and blonde – walked up to their table and were dismissed with a smile from Emmett and a shake of Edward's head.

Not three minutes later, Alice joined us. "Okay, it's up next, so let's go."

The closer we got, the more nervous I became. Butterflies had begun flying around in my stomach, and my palms were sweaty.

Jasper saw us first, and other than a quick flash of a grin, he gave no indication. When Emmett looked up from his beer, his jaw dropped, but a quick finger to her lips from Rose shut him up fast.

The girls stayed close as I stepped up behind Edward. The music changed, and that was my cue. With my heart in my throat, I asked, "Hey, handsome. Can I have this dance?"

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: *squee* Just go! You know you wanna! ;) See me & Deb at the end of the next chapter, k? – Jenny (By the way, Bella's outfit can be found on Deb's blog & my site, so check our profile for links. :) )  
**


	88. Chapter 88: Edward

**A/N #1: Yeah, I could probably tell you the sky is falling, and you wouldn't hear a word of it. LMAO This is it, ladies...the moment you've been waiting for... We've loved you for your patience. Go on...**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 18, 2010 at 8:13 P.M.**

I took a long, slow drink from my beer, glancing around the club. My goal wasn't to get drunk, but the few that I'd had already had taken the edge off the really long week and the uneasy feeling that came with hearing Bella upset just before we'd left for dinner.

The only thing about being in the busy club that was truly bugging me was...

"Hey, you guys wanna dance?"

I locked eyes with a smirking Emmett before we both looked up to the two girls standing next to us. They were pretty in a blonde, cookie-cutter sort of way, because they acted, dressed, and spoke just like every other girl in here, but I just shook my head.

"No thanks, ladies," Emmett said, obviously politer than I was, but that didn't stop the pouting looks they gave us when they walked away, just like the girls not ten minutes before them.

Jasper checked his phone, pocketing it quickly before taking a drink of his beer.

"Nothing?" I asked, because none of us had heard from the girls, and they should've arrived at Charlie's by now.

"Nah," he said as he glanced around the room, smiling and shrugging. "Don't worry. They'll be fine."

I took another long drag on my beer, my heart clenching at the song that came on next – "Come Home" by One Republic. It had been one of the sweet, sad songs that Bella had sent to me. I set my beer down and considered taking a walk outside, at least until the song was over.

"Hey, handsome. Can I have this dance?" I heard behind me.

I sighed, my shoulders sagging until I looked at the guys across from me. Jasper was trying like hell to hide his smile, but I could still see it as he concentrated more on the bottle of beer in his hands than anything else around him. Emmett was smirking, waiting for me to answer the girl.

I was already shaking my head no as I turned to face her, but then I froze. It seemed like a dream I'd had a million times in the last several months. I thought maybe that I'd had one too many beers already.

Standing there in utter perfection was Bella. _My_ Bella.

Christ, she was fucking stunning. The sweet brown eyes I'd come to live for had flecks of gold in them – something that no camera had picked up on – as she gazed nervously up at me. Her hair had this light touch of red in it, but only when the lights from overhead shone down on her in a certain way. But it was that anxious bite to her bottom lip that snapped be back.

"Bella," I gasped, slipping down from my bar stool, barely seeing two women fly past her toward Emmett and Jasper. "You're..._here_."

She giggled and nodded, and I swear to God, it sounded better in person than over the damn phone. "I am. Happy birthday, Edward."

"Yeah, Happy birthday, Edward," I heard in unison behind me.

My head spun to see all four of them grinning back at me. I recognized Alice and Rose from the tons of pictures the guys had shown me, but as they left us at the table, I turned back to Bella, unable not to reach out and touch her.

With the backs of my fingers, I touched her cheek, saying, "I'm not dreaming this, right? I'm not like passed out at home in a drunken stupor?"

Bella laughed, "No, babe. You're awake."

"Good," I chuckled, closing the distance between us. I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her up, inhaling deeply the pure and perfect essence of her as she squeaked in surprise, but her arms wound around me. "Jesus, I can't believe you did this!"

"I had help," she murmured against my jaw, and the pure feel of electricity shocked my entire body. "And I promise to tell you all about it, but I really want that dance..."

Laughing, I set her on her feet. "Anything... Come."

Taking her hand, I entwined our fingers together, and she was a perfect fit. It was like slipping into a favorite, worn-out pair of jeans. Nothing had ever felt as comfortable as that moment right there.

Finding a small open space on the dance floor, I pulled her to me, not allowing any space between us. As long as she was with me and as long as she'd let me, I was not letting anything stop me from touching her.

A million questions piled up on the tip of my tongue, but nothing would come out as I gazed down at the beautiful girl in my arms, who looked up at me, once again biting at her bottom lip. I knew her well enough to know that she was worried.

"Nervous?" I asked, taking her arms and wrapping them around my neck so that I could pull her closer by her waist. Her body molded to mine like she was the missing half of me.

"A little," she snickered, her little nose wrinkling adorably. "I was excited about this plan until we got closer, and then it all sort of hit me at one time."

I nodded because that most likely explained her nightmare.

"You?" she asked.

I chuckled, shrugging. "I don't know, love. I think I'm still in shock. And you're way more beautiful in person," I told her honestly, reaching up to finally touch the hair I'd been fantasizing about for months. I brushed it away from her face, and it was every bit as soft as I'd imagined it would be, like strands of silk through my fingers.

Bella blushed, giggling a bit as she traced my face with her small fingers, across my eyebrow, down my jaw, and up my cheekbone, only to run her fingers through my hair. The act was so natural, so easy, like she'd planned that route for the longest time.

"You're hot," she laughed, her eyes never leaving mine as she repeated the first words she'd said after seeing my picture. "Even more so in person, babe."

And just like that...all nerves flew out the window. Just like our first Skype conversation, just like every phone call, every letter, every fucking email, it was just...us. We laughed, and I couldn't help but pull her even closer, my forehead falling to hers.

I knew the song was almost over, and I had no intention of grinding on Bella should the next one be a faster song, but I only had one question.

"Why?" I whispered, but she heard me, and she understood immediately.

"Because we could, because I couldn't wait, and because your birthday seemed to be the perfect excuse," she rattled off in a whisper. "Because I love you..."

"Fuck, I love you, too," I breathed, my eyes never leaving sweet brown as I said the most truthful words I'd ever uttered. In fact, I was pretty damn sure I'd just fallen in love with her all over again. Instead of the slow build that had happened over the months we'd been writing, this was fast, sharp, and fucking instant, like being run over by a speeding Mack truck. "Bella...baby, I..."

"Kiss me, Edward," she ordered breathlessly, and it was all over, because she'd just told me to do the one thing I was just about to ask her for.

We weren't even dancing at that point, merely swaying to the music. Slowly, without removing my forehead from hers, I angled just enough to brush my lips across hers. I really wanted to savor the moment, and I swear to God, I tried, but it was impossible. Sweeping my lips over her top lip, bottom lip, and back to the top again, I lost every bit of restraint when Bella's tongue slipped out for the smallest of tastes because at the same time, small but firm fingers threaded into my hair.

I pulled back just enough to slide my hand to the back of her neck because I was really going to fucking kiss that girl. Turning her head, my mouth covered hers. Her soft, sweet moan spurred my own as my tongue slid languidly with hers, swirling, tasting, claiming. Trying my damnedest not to eat her alive on that dance floor, I couldn't help but revel in the flavor of her – mint and Bella and just nothing I'd ever tasted before, but never wanted to go without again. Noses brushed as we turned our heads at the same time, heavy exhales ghosting against cheeks. Now that I had her in my arms, I wasn't sure I could stop, especially when one of her hands was in my hair, while the other gripped the side of my shirt.

My body lit up like the filament of a light bulb, my skin prickling with the feel of her pressed against every inch of me, her lips against mine. It was perfect, beautiful, yet painful torture, because as much as I didn't want to, I had to pull away.

The song changed, and I was right; it was faster, more upbeat, and it cut the lust that was raging through me. With one more brush of my lips across hers and one to her forehead, I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Best birthday present...ever," I muttered into her hair at the side of her head, smiling when she giggled. "How long do I get to keep you?" I asked softly in her ear before looking down at my happy girl.

"A couple of weeks." She snickered, that amazing blush returning to her cheeks. "Just long enough for you to get tired of me."

"Never," I growled dramatically against the skin of her neck, unable not to kiss it because she was there, smelling like flowers and sin and all things I needed in order to take my next breath.

"I'm glad you think so, babe." She took my hand, giving it a tug as she glanced up to find our friends in the crowded room. "Come, handsome. Meet the girls, and we'll tell you how we pulled this off."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2:  
**

**Deb: Think we should tell them the surprise now?  
Jenny: Do you think they can handle it? I mean...are their hearts strong enough? Because they just got through the initial meeting!  
Deb: Well, no. I mean WE barely handled it. And we wrote it. O.o But I have faith in them. It's what they wanted anyway...  
Jenny: Oh, I remember... I think there were even tears... And I suppose. ;) Go ahead. *grin*  
Deb: *turns to everyone* ahem... Tomorrow will be another double posting... :D  
Jenny: AND...we still have a TON more story left, so those that were worried that we'd end it right after they met...have no fear. ;)  
Deb: Oh, and maybe we should just give them fair lemon warning now...right? I'm just thinking...you know, for those that read at work...even when they shouldn't. *raises eyebrow*  
Jenny: At this point, I'd say that's just a given...but yes, definitely a lemon warning. *laugh*  
Deb: LOL That's probably very true...**

**Okay guys, we'll see you tomorrow. And yeah...brace yourself for another double post! We truly wanted to give you as much of their first twenty-four hours as we could this weekend.**

**Mooches, Deb. :)**

**P.S. (so channeling Sarge here) Oh yeah, and those ShamWows we've all talked about? BRING. THEM. ;)**


	89. Chapter 89: Bella

**A/N #1: We're SO glad you guys enjoyed how Bella & the girls surprised Edward (& Emmett. lol). Thank you for being patient. (Mostly. ;) ) I know it was hard, but hopefully, it'll end up being worth the wait. So let's see how the rest of the reunion goes, huh?**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 18, 2010 at 8:25 P.M.**

Not letting go of Edward's hand, I began to make my way through the writhing bodies on the dance floor. I couldn't bear to let go, even for that short distance. He was the only thing keeping me grounded in place, and without his touch, I knew I'd have felt lost...disconnected. He must have felt the same, because his fingers tightened on mine.

"Bellsy!" Emmett boomed, pulling me from Edward's grasp and wrapping me in his standard bear hug. His arms were like a vise as they squeezed me to his chest.

Laughing, I squeezed him in return and then teased, "Can't breathe, Em!"

When he pulled away, he looked sheepish but winked before stepping back beside Rose.

"Hi, darlin'," Jasper said, wrapping me in his own much more gentle hug. "You look good, Bella."

"Thanks, Jasper," I said, giving him a squeeze before pulling away to stand by Edward, who immediately took my hand again. "You guys are a sight for sore eyes."

Rose and Alice were just about bursting with the same happiness I was feeling. I realized they hadn't been formally introduced to Edward yet. Dropping his hand, I wrapped my arm around his waist to pull him closer to me and then turned to my friends.

"Guys, this is Edward. Babe, you know them from their pictures, obviously, but this is Alice and that's Rose," I told him, motioning to each of them in turn.

The girls both stepped out of their husbands' arms and moved up to Edward. Alice, tiny little thing that she was, basically threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. Rose chuckled but held out a hand to shake Edward's.

"Thank you for keeping our guys safe," Alice said once she'd released him and taken a step back.

"And thanks for making Bella so happy," Rose told him with a smile in my direction.

Edward put his arm around my shoulder and tugged me back against his side as he smiled down at me before looking back at Rose and Alice. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You guys grab a booth. Alice and I will get drinks," Jasper said, taking Alice's hand and tugging her with him as he turned to the bar.

As much as had missed my friends, I didn't want to sit in the damn bar with Edward. I wanted to go back to his house. I wanted more of those kisses that he had given me out on the dance floor...among other things. But I also didn't want to come off as a hussy, either, so I smiled up at him before we followed Rose and Emmett to the back wall where there was a row of booths. We were lucky because one group had apparently just left, and a waitress was just cleaning the table of the empty glasses and bottles, leaving it open for us to grab.

Rose slid into one side, followed by Emmett. I started to slide into the other, but Edward stopped me, moving ahead of me into the booth. When I started to sit down beside him, he tugged me down and over until I was on his lap, half sitting sideways so I could still see his face.

"Is this okay?" he asked, his warm breath against the skin of my neck sending shivers down my spine.

"Umm," I murmured, nodding dumbly. It was like just being this close to him had short-circuited my brain.

When Jasper and Alice returned with a shot for each of us, as well as six bottles of imported beer, they set the tray of drinks down on the table before falling down into the booth, almost mirroring mine and Edward's position, with Alice on Jasper's lap. Rose and Emmett might as well have done the same damn thing, as close as she was to him.

Emmett passed out the drinks and then held up his shot, motioning for us all to do the same. Once our glasses were raised, he said, "To being back on U.S. soil safely, to having our beautiful ladies here with us, and to Edward for a happy twenty-sixth birthday."

"Here here!" we all echoed before downing our shots in one swallow.

I shuddered at the feel of the tequila burning a trail of fire down my throat. Plain tequila shots weren't my favorite, and I definitely wanted a clear head, so the shot and the single beer were going to be my limit tonight.

"So how in the hell did you set this up," Edward asked as he set his empty shot glass next to mine before putting his hand back on my knee.

Giggling, I looked over at Jasper. "We had some help."

Edward groaned, shaking his head. "Damn. You guys knew they were coming and you didn't say anything? Cold, man... That's just cold." I could tell by the shaking of his chest against my shoulder that he was barely holding in suppressed laughter.

Emmett held his hands up in surrender. "Don't look at me, man. I'd have spilled the beans. I'm glad they didn't say anything!"

The girls and I laughed as Jasper nodded. "Damn straight. You wouldn't have been able to keep from telling him the plan."

Alice went on to explain how she and Jasper had taken care of most of the details, including booking the flight into Tampa and signaling when it was safe for us to go to the house.

Through the entire story, Edward's hands were never still. He had one arm around my waist, keeping me tight against him. His other hand moved from my knee, up my thigh, his fingers playing with the skin right under the edge of my skirt, before sliding down to the skin of my inner thigh for a moment, and then back down to my knee...where he started the journey all over again. It wasn't like he was alone in the touching, though. My fingers on my left hand were entwined with his on my stomach, and I was using the nails of my right hand to lightly scratch his scalp, playing with the slowly growing out hair on top before moving down to brush at the soft, prickly hairs at the base of his skull.

The longer we sat there and talked, the more we touched – and the bolder Edward's hand became. With each pass up my leg, his hand went a little farther, hidden from view by the table and the darkness of the club. I could tell my panties were already damp with my arousal. Edward was clearly just as turned on as I was, because I could feel him against my hip, growing hard.

"Dance with me?" I groaned, although it came out as more of a question than anything. I needed to feel his body pressed against mine out on the dance floor one more time.

Neyo's "Closer" started playing as soon as I moved to my feet, and Edward took my hand, leading me to the middle of the crowd, where we were virtually hidden from view of anyone, just one of the many couples getting lost in one another.

Edward's strong thigh slid between mine, and his hands slid down my arms, moving them up to wrap around his neck. Once I was holding on, he moved one hand back to my hip, guiding me to move with him, his other hand sliding back up to tangle in my hair at the base of my neck. As we swayed together to the heavy beat, my hips rocking me against his thigh, Edward grasped my hair and tilted my head back, lowering his lips to my neck.

I shook against him as his teeth scraped gently, tongue and lips laving and soothing the soft skin under my ear. I knew I was making noises, so turned on that I couldn't keep quiet even if I'd wanted to, but I didn't care. My own hands were busy, scratching, tugging, grasping...anything to keep him closer to me.

By the time Aaliyah's "One in a Million" came on, I was done for. My body felt like it was on fire, and everywhere Edward touched just burned that much hotter. I could feel him hard and insistent against my leg, and that thought nearly had me throwing him down to the floor right in the middle of everyone.

Edward must have felt the same because he growled as he kissed and suckled his way up to my ear. "Come home with me?"

Nodding, I reluctantly let him pull away. We looked through the crowd and caught Jasper's eye. He and Alice were still sitting at the table, wrapped up in one another. Emmett and Rose were nowhere to be seen, but I imagined they were out on the dance floor – and if not, I didn't want to think about where they'd gone. It wouldn't have been the first time they had sneaked off to the bathroom of a club.

Edward gave Jasper a nod to the door as I gave Alice a wave. Then we turned, and he guided me through the crowd to the door.

Neither of us spoke as we hurried to the parking lot, Edward's hand gripping mine like he thought I was going to disappear. He pulled me to a small black SUV, digging his keys out of his pocket.

I couldn't stand still. My need for him was driving me crazy, and I felt like I was going to go up in flames from the inside out. Wrapping my arms around him from the side, I rubbed against him, trying to find some relief from the tension I was feeling.

"Fuck!" Edward hissed, dropping his keys and spinning me around so my back was pressed against the side of the car. His body covered mine as he greedily claimed my mouth.

I was surrounded by hard – hard, cold steel behind me, and hard, hot body in front of me. Edward braced a hand by my head, leaving his other to explore...everywhere. His tongue claimed my mouth as his fingers traced down my face and neck, over my shoulder, teasing the side of my breast over the fabric of my shirt. I whimpered when he cupped my ass, only to slide down enough to hitch my leg up around his hip, which brought him that much closer. Everything lined up, and I was lost – lost to lips, heavy breathing, sweet, talented tongues, and gripping fingers.

My want for him exploded exponentially, and there was no way to stop my hips. They rolled slow and heavy against his erection, pressing exactly where I needed it. My breathing stopped, Edward hissed, and my head fell back to the car window with a dull thud.

Rubbing my thigh softly from the back of my knee up to tease the edge of my underwear, Edward murmured, "Fuck, Bella... I have to get you out of here. I don't want to do this here."

I nodded, still breathless, because he was right; we didn't want to go at each other like animals in a bar parking lot, but damn, if he wasn't killing me. It wasn't even about the physical attraction, though that was really hard to miss, but it was about the love that we'd held back for so fucking long.

"I know," I panted, locking eyes with dark green as he gazed at me through the longest, prettiest eyelashes I'd ever seen.

"I want to take you home...do this right," he explained, his beautiful face pained as he set my leg back down to the ground and took a step back. Cupping my chin, he brought his lips to mine briefly. "Please?"

"Okay," I said, stepping out of the way of the car door.

He picked up his keys and let me in, and with a few long strides, he was behind the wheel, cranking the engine.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Meh...if it were me, I'd have wanted him to take me then...no matter where we were. *laugh* But no, it's better to wait. ;)**

**Now, I know Alice & Rose have their own reunions. And they hadn't seen their husbands in a while. So just imagine that they were having their own private-ish make-out sessions while Bella & Edward were having their moments, 'k? We won't see any of their reunions, simply because this is a B/E story and we focused on them. But it's there...just...in the background. LOL**

**Ok, leave some love if you have the patience, and then head on to see what happens when Sarge takes Bella home. :) – Jenny**


	90. Chapter 90: Edward

**A/N #1: Yeah... What? Huh? O.o I'm sure you're close to incoherent, so just get on with it. LOL**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 18, 2010 at 10:23 P.M.**

Bella was quiet as I drove back to my house. It had taken everything in me, every bit of restraint not to take us further in that parking lot. I ached to see her come, and I knew if I'd pushed it, it would've happened right there. But it was more than that. I just needed to touch her, make sure she was real.

As we sat at a red light, I reached over to caress her face as she stared out the window. She took my hand in hers, linking our fingers together and smiling over at me.

"You should know I snooped in your room, babe," she said with a wry smile.

Chuckling, I shrugged one shoulder and brought her hand up to my lips. "I think you know everything about me by now, love. I have nothing to hide from you," I whispered against her skin, unable to not flick my tongue out for a taste just before the light turned green.

It didn't take long to pull into the driveway, where I shut off the car and walked around to open her door. Linking her fingers with mine, I led her to the front door, but before I let her in, I stopped her, because she needed to understand that this wasn't about just getting laid; the drive home had given my body a chance to relax just a bit, and my head to clear...a lot.

"Sweetheart, look at me," I whispered, tipping her face up with my fingers under her chin. Sweet brown eyes gazed up at me, and I saw the same want, the same need that matched my own, but I was going to say what I needed to anyway. "This isn't about... If you're not ready for this, it's perfectly okay. I'd be just as happy to hold you all night." Even though my dick practically screamed in protest, my heart meant that shit. "I just can't believe you're here," I whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead, her nose, and finally, her lips.

"Believe it, Sarge," she chuckled sexily, winding her arms around my neck.

I took the opportunity to skim my hands down her back and over her ass. Her body felt better than I'd even imagined, despite all the pictures she'd sent me over the months. She was soft and firm in all the right places. She was warm and smelled like the sheets she'd sent our first night at the house. And every inch of her called to me, but I waited for her answer.

"I'm ready for _us_, Edward," she said simply, "but you should know you have another birthday present." She giggled, pressing her lips to mine.

I pulled back, raising an eyebrow up at her. "Besides you?"

She laughed and nodded. "Yes, babe, besides me."

"I don't know if my heart can take much more, Bella," I stated wryly, but honestly.

"Just go in," she ordered, laughing when I wrapped an arm around her waist, practically dragging her inside.

Slamming the door, I stopped, staring into the far corner of the living room. My mouth opened and then closed, only to fall open again.

"You...you got me a piano?" I asked, my eyes narrowing in on the electric piano in the corner, complete with bench.

"Well, it's no baby grand, but..." She laughed, shrugged one shoulder.

Suddenly, it was all just too much. My girl – and our friends, for that matter – had gotten me the two things I'd wanted most, without letting out a single hint. All I'd wanted was Bella and to be able to escape into my music, and they'd done it. It had been so long since anyone, much less five people, had made this much of a fuss over me that I couldn't take it. My breathing picked up, and my heart pounded in my chest as I wrapped my arms completely around Bella to pull her flush to me. Squeezing my eyes closed against the onslaught of emotions that were suddenly racing through me, I let my forehead fall to hers as I tried to get myself under control.

Bella was here, and she was real. But it was more than that. It was the feeling of being cared for – a feeling that was almost foreign, it had been so long. Not since my mother had anyone gone to this much trouble for me. And I wasn't sure what to do with it all. I'd thought all of my walls were down for this girl, but apparently, there had been doubts I was unaware of. The last of those doubts fell away.

I tried to say thank you, but I wasn't sure that was what was coming out of my mouth as I pressed kisses to her nose, her forehead, her lips. Skimming my mouth down her jaw, my hands gripped the back of her jacket in order for this fantasy not to slip away.

"It's too much," I breathed against the skin of her neck, opening my mouth to relish the real and true taste of her.

"Edward," Bella panted, her fingers threading into my hair, tugging me, pulling at me so that I could look at her.

I couldn't stop whispering, tasting, kissing. The moan that vibrated beneath my lips caused my breathing to stop altogether. I wanted to go slow, to thank her, but it was absolutely impossible. And it didn't help that my want for the girl currently in my arms had just skyrocketed out of my control.

Finally pulling back, I cupped both sides of her face, capturing her mouth with my own. Walking her backwards, my goal was the damn hallway, but somehow, we'd bumped into the kitchen table. Bella smiled against my mouth as I laid her down on top of it, trailing my lips down her cheek to her neck. That sweet smile calmed me more than anything, because the ease in which we just were was beyond what I could've imagined. It made me chuckle softly in her ear, causing her to squirm just a little underneath me.

"Edward," she snickered, only it turned into the sexiest fucking moan I'd ever heard. "Is this a thank you?"

"Yes." I grinned against her neck, dragging my teeth along the soft skin just to feel her whole body writhe underneath me again.

"Don't you want to play it?" she laughed, threading her fingers into my hair at the same time I settled between her thighs.

"No," I growled, bracing my hands on either side of her head and pressing my forehead to hers. "I promise... I swear before God and all that's holy that I'll play whatever you want..._later_, but the _piano_ is not what I want my hands on right this fucking minute."

Sitting up, she pushed at me until I was standing straight but kept her legs wrapped around my thighs. "You've already been doing a lot of the touching, Masen. It's my turn," she stated, reaching for the buttons of my shirt and tugging until they slowly popped open one by one.

Rather than push my shirt off my shoulders, she let it hang open, but the searing heat that came off of her hands when she finally reached out to touch made every muscle I had tighten. Her palms skimmed up my chest, fingers dipped, and thumbs brushed across nipples, hip bones, and the trail of hair that led down into my jeans. Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to my sternum, grazing her nose all the way up to my neck.

"God, you smell so much better than your shirts," she murmured against my collarbone while her hands practically scalded my back, my stomach, and my chest underneath my shirt.

When tiny fingers wrapped around my dog tags, tugging me to her, my hand shot out to her hair to turn her head with a fistful of the silky strands. When her mouth opened to mine and her legs wrapped higher and tighter around my hips, I reached down to her ass and scooped her up off of the table.

By the time I got her to my room, closed the door, and pressed her up against it, clothes started to become an issue. Bella shoved at my shirt, forcing it over my shoulders until I relented just enough to let it drop to the floor. The little jacket she was wearing met the same fate. When we were both shirtless – though she was in the sweetest blue bra I'd ever seen – we were panting messes.

"Fuck, baby," I groaned, pulling her away from the door just enough that I could arch her back. "That fucking blush _does_ go all the way to your navel."

Bella huffed a laugh that turned into a sexy whimper when my lips ghosted down to the top of her bra.

It was then that my gaze fell on what was hanging around her neck, falling just between the swell of her beautiful breasts. Dog tags had never looked so sexy. Pulling back, I gazed up at Bella, taking in the whole picture. "Maybe I should take you to a tattoo parlor while you're here," I told her, leaning in to trace the chain with my nose, breathing in her scent. "My name on your body is just entirely too damn sexy, Isabella..."

She whimpered as I placed long, slow, wet kisses along the chain from her chest to her neck, and then continued on until I reached her cheek.

After one last brush of my lips to her soft skin, I whispered, "Sweet girl, I want you in my bed. I want to see all of you. Can I do that?"

I would've stopped had she asked me to, but her nod gave me permission to pull her away from the door and lay her down on my bed, only to fall on my side beside her.

"Sorry I didn't make the bed, but I didn't know I'd be bringing home the most beautiful girl in the bar tonight," I teased as I brushed a lock of her hair out of her face, knowing she knew I never made my bed off the base.

She grinned, cupping my face. "Well, aren't I the lucky girl?" she giggled.

"I think it's me that's lucky, Bella," I said seriously, giving her body a long, languid gaze. "You are everything I'd imagined and then some. I love you so much. Thank you for coming here, for setting this up..."

"I love you, too, Edward," she said, emotion lacing through her voice. "I didn't know it would feel like this," she sighed, locking eyes with me, and I could see tears welling up.

"Shh," I breathed against her mouth. "Let me love you. Please, Bella. Let me show you what you truly mean to me."

Carefully, with teasing fingers in order to hear her sweet laugh, I removed her shoes, gliding my hands up her legs to the zipper of her skirt. As each inch of skin was revealed, I left long, wet kisses. She was sprawled out before me in tiny blue lacy things, and I shook my head.

"That is so much better than a picture," I murmured, locking eyes with her to finally beg silently for permission to strip her bare, and she nodded.

I just fucking had to have her. I wasn't even sure I could stop, and from the wetness that I could see leaking through her underwear, I knew I wasn't alone. And she was fucking flawless. Round, firm breasts heaved with every breath she took, nipples peaked high and tight after the cool air hit them, and I couldn't help but lick my lips at the sight of her, trimmed, waxed, and so fucking wet for me.

Bracing one hand by her head and kneeling between her legs, I leaned down to kiss her again. I cupped a breast, moaning shamelessly when her nipple hardened even more under my palm. Breaking from her mouth, I kissed down to her ear, because I couldn't help but revel in the way she was reacting to my touch.

"Let me see..." I whispered against the soft spot behind her ear, causing her breath to catch. "I think I remember these spots you told me about. This is one, right?" I asked, opening my mouth to her skin, my tongue swirling just enough to drive her crazy, but it was my other hand that went searching. Twirling my finger around her bellybutton, I dipped lower, smiling against her throat when her whole body rose up off the bed as I traced her bikini line just above her mound.

Fuck, she was sensitive.

"There it is," I crooned in her ear, only to lightly bite at her shoulder as I made my way down her body.

I suckled each nipple, dragged my teeth across her sternum, and swirled my tongue in her navel, all while never breaking my gaze from hers. When my tongue trailed down to her mound, she cried out, her hips bucking under me.

"Christ, Edward!" she panted, gripping my sheets and twisting them in her tiny hands as I sucked hard on her skin, because I'd promised her that I'd mark that place as mine.

Kissing the crease of her leg, I said, "Open up for me, baby. I need to make sure you're wet enough for me."

Bella's grip on my sheets tightened as I licked the inside of each thigh, spread her open, and took a long, slow lick of the prettiest pussy I'd ever seen...or maybe it was because it was just...Bella. But damn, she was wet for me and getting wetter with every lick, flick, and swirl of my tongue. Sucking her swollen clit into my mouth, I teased her entrance with my fingers, finally sinking deep inside of her.

"Mm, love... You're so tight, so wet," I moaned against her sensitive flesh, causing her hips to grind against my face. "You're gonna feel so fucking good," I told her, swirling my tongue around her clit at the same time my fingers curled inside of her.

Bella's hands left my sheets, weaving themselves into my hair as she held me tightly to her pussy, so I sucked her hard into my mouth, moaning against her when I felt everything she had finally let go. Her insides squeezed my fingers, her hands gripped me harder, and my name had never, _ever_ sounded that fucking good. I almost came at the sight of her – her head back, her face and neck flushed, and the glazed, sated look in her eyes.

"Edward...please," she begged, though for what, I had no idea.

Flicking my tongue against her, I curled my fingers again. "Oh, no... Baby, you're gonna give me another one..."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: :D **laughs and waves you on like an air traffic controller** ;) No, really, I understand. Just...never say that Jenny and I didn't give you fair warning...**


	91. Chapter 91: Bella

**A/N #1: *hands you each an extra ShamWow or pair of shanties (ShamWow panties ;) ) and then quietly leaves the room***

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 18, 2010 at 10:56 P.M.**

"Edward...please!" I knew I probably sounded like I was begging, and I was – for Edward's cock, for relief from the intense feelings he was creating with his mouth and tongue...for everything. Anything.

I gasped when his tongue came out and lapped at my clit and his fingers curled just right, reaching for the spot that had made me crazy once already tonight.

"Oh, no... Baby, you're gonna give me another one..."

With a vibrating hum, he wrapped his lips around my clit. When his other hand gently pressed down on my lower abdomen, his curled fingers threw me over the edge. I stiffened, crying out his name once more as I came, feeling wetness shoot out around his hand.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I cried, tugging hard on his hair, my heels digging into the mattress as I rocked my hips up to meet his face.

The orgasm seemed to go on forever until I finally collapsed, boneless, to the bed, my hands falling limply beside me.

Edward gathered me into his arms, pressing soft, tender kisses to my cheeks, my closed eyelids, my nose, and finally, brushing a few across my lips until I came back to the land of the living, opening my eyes to stare up at him.

"What in the blue hell was _that_?" I asked, reaching up to run my fingers along his scalp, hoping I hadn't pulled any his hair out in my...enthusiasm. "Did I just pee?" My free hand came up to cover my face in embarrassment.

He chuckled, deep and husky, moving my hand from my face and running a single finger down my cheek to my chest, circling my nipple. "That, my love, would certainly qualify as squirting – or female ejaculation, to put it in terms you might understand."

"What... I mean... How? Oh, my God. I've never done that before!" I was stammering, and I knew I was beet red.

When I looked at Edward, he was grinning proudly. "I've never had that happen before, either, but apparently I hit just the right spot."

"Mmm," I agreed. "Indeed you did."

I giggled at the proud as fuck look on his face, but when his hand trailed farther down, circling my belly button, the giggle turned into a moan. Suddenly, I was ravenous for him. Reaching down, I grasped him through his jeans, where he was hard and long and so very ready for me.

"Take them off," I commanded, trailing my hand up to the snap at the top of the denim.

Edward's already dark green eyes darkened even further, and within seconds, he was off the bed, kicking off his shoes and socks and sliding the zipper down so he could get rid of the last remaining article of clothing between the two of us. I couldn't hold in my groan when I realized he had nothing on underneath the jeans.

When he started to move back to the bed, I held up a hand, stopping him, and then turned to my side so I could get my fill.

My eyes raked over him, taking in every detail. He was long and lean, his shoulders and arms built, but not overly so. His pecs were perfect – there was enough muscle definition to be sexy, but not enough to give him the appearance of breasts, while his stomach was solid enough to bounce a quarter off of. There was just a dusting of bronze hair on his belly, leading down to... Yeah, my eyes couldn't focus on that yet or I'd never make it any farther. That same hair was speckled on his strong thighs and calves, and even his feet were perfect.

By the time my eyes made it back up to the slightly darker hair at the juncture of his thighs, my entire body felt electrified. All my nerves were standing on end as my arousal spiked. It looked like I wasn't the only one, either. His eight and a half inches were fully on display as his erection jutted from his body, pointing my way like a homing beacon. He was perfectly straight, the head a few shades darker than the rest of his cock, and there was already a drop of precum beaded at the tip.

"God, you're sexy," I murmured, my eyes moving once again to meet his. When I crooked my finger at him, he wasted no time in sliding back in beside me.

I licked my lips, reaching down to grasp his length, giving a few good strokes as his head fell back and he groaned out my name.

"Bella... Fuck, love, if you keep doing that, I'm not going to last, and I want to be inside you when—"

Interrupting him with a kiss, I gave him one last squeeze and then released him, whispering, "Make love to me, Edward."

He wasted no time in moving over me, positioning himself on his knees with one hand braced beside my shoulder and the other holding his length to place it at my entrance.

"I love you so damn much, Bella," he groaned, shaking his head once, before dipping to place a tender kiss to my chest, right over my heart, as he slowly – achingly slowly – pushed inside me.

I moaned, immediately reaching up to grasp ahold of his biceps when he put his other hand down on the other side of my shoulders. Even with just a few inches inside me, he was already stretching me.

"You okay?" His voice was raspy, as if he was having to hold back so much, it was painful.

Words failed me, so I nodded my head, biting my lip and silently begging him for more as I rocked my hips up to meet his.

"Christ, Isabella," he hissed, his forehead dropping to mine. "I don't know if I can take this slow. Not this time."

I moved one hand to cup his face, tracing the lines around his eyes formed by the tension in his body, and then slid it up into his hair. It was short – almost too short – but just long enough for me to grab onto. Giving it a tug, I breathed, "So don't..."

He was as still as stone for a moment, searching for something in my eyes. He must have found what he was looking for because, with a guttural growl, he thrust his hips and slid all the way inside me until I could feel the hair at the base of his cock tickling my lower lips.

"Fuck!" I cried. "Please, Edward. More, just like that!"

One of his hands tangled in my hair, and he angled my head back as he began to piston his hips, hitting me so hard and so deep, I wasn't sure I'd ever been touched there before. He dipped his head again, latching himself to my neck, just below my ear, with his lips, biting down gently before soothing with his tongue.

I let go of his hair and braced myself on the headboard behind me, meeting him thrust for thrust as best I could.

When his hand left my hair and moved between our bodies to give a gentle pinch to my clit, that was all it took. I cried out, his name falling from my lips over and over like a prayer.

Edward gave one last hard thrust, slamming his hips to mine, and came in pulses inside me.

We were both breathing heavily as Edward collapsed beside me, and even though we were both sweaty and sticky, he pulled me into his arms, pressing a kiss to my temple.

"That was..."

"Amazing," he finished for me. "Spectacular? Perfect?"

I giggled, wrapping an arm over his waist and snuggling in. "Take your pick," I told him, unable to keep the grin from my face even as I yawned.

"Tired, love?" he asked, pressing a kiss to my hair.

I nodded. "I've been too excited to sleep the last few nights."

"Let's get ready for bed, then, sweetheart." Edward sighed, but it was a happy sound. "I have big plans for you, and you need your rest."

I agreed, so I leaned up, kissed him softly, and then teased him by crawling over him to get to the other side of the bed so I could do what I needed to do in the bathroom.

His groan told me I'd succeeded.

Fifteen minutes later, we were both back in bed. I had washed my face, run a cool washcloth over most of my body, and taken care of Mother Nature, and then waited in bed for Edward while he did the same.

Without a word, he turned me to face him, wrapping me in his embrace. I tilted my head up, and he dropped a long, slow, sweet kiss to my lips before pressing his forehead to mine.

"I'm so fucking glad you're here and so fucking glad you're mine. I've said it before, but I am the luckiest son of a bitch alive, Isabella. I love you so damn much."

My heart sputtered as my love for Edward grew, even though I hadn't thought that possible. "I am here, Sarge, and I am yours – just as you are mine. Love you, too, babe."

He kissed me once more and then pulled me even closer, sighing as our legs tangled together and my head fell to his shoulder.

My last thought before I succumbed to sleep was of feeling like I was home for the first time in a long time.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Isn't it funny how she's 1500 miles (or whatever) away from home, but she FEELS like she's home? *sigh* Her home is wherever HE is. :)**

**Hope you enjoyed it...let me know before you head on to the last chapter for today, ok? *hugs* – Jenny**


	92. Chapter 92: Edward

**A/N #1: Breathe for me, guys! One deep breath...c'mon, you can do it. :D Okay, let it out slowly... Good. Now...say good morning to our fave couple, and then see me at the bottom.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 8:10 A.M.**

Bright light shone in through the windows as I glanced around the room. I shook my head at discarded clothes and shoes, at the sight of an unfamiliar suitcase stashed off in the corner, and finally, down at the sight that still didn't seem real.

I'd been up for an hour, trying my damnedest to leave her alone, so after a trip to the bathroom, I slid carefully back into bed behind her. Propping myself up on my elbow, I took in every inch of her – a splash of mahogany hair across my pillows, a smooth, bare leg that had escaped the covers, and the most beautiful back I think I'd ever laid eyes on. Then there was her face, almost childlike in her sleep with her hand tucked under her chin. Long eyelashes rested against her cheek, her still kiss-bruised lips pouted, and her brow furrowed at whatever she was dreaming about.

She was so fucking perfect. And there was a part of me that still thought I was dreaming.

My eyes landed on the ink on her shoulder. I didn't know whether to be pissed off as hell that someone had hurt her enough that it warranted such drastic measures or turned on by just how sexy one small tattoo was. It was a black swan with touches of green in it, just like she'd said, and it called to me. Leaning over her, I brushed the lightest of kisses across it, smiling when her body instantly reacted. Smooth legs tangled with mine, a sweet moan broke the silence of the room, and her sweet ass arched back, brushing against my cock, which caused my own noise to ghost across her skin as I placed another kiss to the tattoo.

I wanted her again, and it was no secret, especially when she arched back against me, moaning when I slipped between her legs. Sleepy, warm eyes opened, glancing back to me as I pressed yet another kiss to her ink. This time, I traced every bit of it with the tip of my tongue.

"Mm, well, good morning to you, too, Edward," she snickered, smiling a sweet, slow smile.

"Mmhm," I hummed, nipping my teeth across her shoulder. "Tell me about this again," I said, chuckling when she smirked back at me.

"I fell, giving me two black eyes. I got this to take the sting away of them calling me Black Swan," she muttered, her voice sexy and just a bit raspy.

"Did you fall? Or did someone push you?" I asked, thinking kids were fucking cruel, and there was no telling why she'd ended up with bruises.

She giggled softly, shaking her head. "No, babe. I fell. Over my own two feet, thank you very much. I wasn't exactly graceful during my teen years."

"Hmm," I replied, unable to keep my hips still, because she felt so fucking good. "I can't imagine it. You were incredibly graceful last night, Miss Swan."

"Yes, well...a few good orgasms will do that to a girl. We suddenly became porn stars," she chuckled, squeaking when I wrapped her tightly and pulled her closer.

I laughed, burying it into her hair. "I suppose that's true...for men and women," I snorted, rolling my eyes, but pressing another kiss to her shoulder. "I love you. I'm so fucking glad you're here."

She smiled but pried my arms from around her. "I love you, too, babe, but I need a second."

Grinning, I let her go, shamelessly watching her naked form walk to the bathroom. I pushed myself up and leaned against the headboard, keeping the sheet draped over me because I was hard for her again, and there wasn't much I could do about it. I could well imagine she was sore. Rubbing my face, I sighed in utter contentment and pure want. It was a completely different feeling for me. I'd never felt as connected to one person as I did Bella.

The bathroom door opened, and I could see that she'd washed her face and brushed her hair, not that I gave a shit about that. Just having her _here_ made me the happiest son of a bitch alive. She truly was breathtaking, and I crooked a finger at her.

"C'mere," I whispered, feeling a touch of dèja vu because I'd had a daydream like this not so long ago, where Bella had sauntered over to me from the bathroom.

"It's the morning after, Sarge. Are you ready to get rid of me yet?" she teased, biting down on her bottom lip as I pulled her onto my lap, shaking my head no.

The sheet slipped, which caused my arousal to become trapped between us. And it twitched at the sound of her calling me Sarge. Something about that just fucking wrecked me.

"No," I finally whispered, my brow furrowing. "Two weeks isn't long enough, I don't think." I cupped her face before skimming my hands down her shoulders and sides, teasing the underside of her breasts along the way to her perfect ass. Pulling her closer, I said, "I don't know if I'll be able to give you up."

"I know," she sighed, running her fingers through my hair and then down either side of my face. "Maybe I just made waiting until October harder for us, but... I couldn't take it, Edward. And when Alice figured out a way to surprise you... I just...had to."

I smiled up at her sweet face, because she was adorable when she rambled nervously. "Believe me, I'm glad you did," I admitted, bringing her face down to mine for a quick kiss. "Fuck it all. We'll deal with what happens when it happens. We always have, sweet girl."

She nodded silently, kissing me again, and just like the night before, it spiraled completely out of control. Bella dominated every second, every touch, and every movement, due to her position. She braced her hands on my shoulders, pinning me with heavy, deep, wet kisses. Dragging teeth and tongue across my bottom lip, her hips rolled over me, causing her already wet pussy to slide over my dick.

"Christ, baby," I panted, my head falling back to the headboard. "Fuck, I want you..."

"Yes, please, Edward."

"Are you sore?" I asked her because I wasn't a complete dick. I knew we hadn't exactly taken it slow the night before.

"Mm," she purred, kissing down my neck. "It's a delicious type of sore, babe," she crooned, her teeth nipping at my jaw.

I chuckled darkly, pulling her back to look her in the eye. "Well, it's about to get worse, Isabella. Because I'm gonna take you just like this," I told her, gripping her hips and grinding her over me again just to coat my dick in the wetness that was already seeping from her.

She froze for a fraction of a second, and I could see her nerves at having never been on top rise to the surface.

"Easy," I crooned. "I'll show you," I vowed in a whisper. "You have all the power this way, baby. You control everything... How good you feel, how good I feel, and how fast you want to take it. Personally, I'd really like to take my time with you..."

She nodded, and I watched as every bit of trust she had was clearly given over to me as I lifted her up. Bracing her hands on my shoulders, she let me line up to her entrance.

"Slowly, Isabella," I grunted through gritted teeth, because it was all I could do not to slam into her, drown myself in the warmth, the tightness, the sweet fucking heaven that was her pussy.

There was absolutely nothing as beautiful as watching her take me all the way inside her. Her mouth hung open, and her breathing was heavy as she adjusted to my size, her body stretching and squeezing in protest in order to accommodate me. Her forehead fell to mine, and I soothed her with caresses to her back, her shoulders, her ass, doing my damnedest not to beg her to move, because I couldn't to that to her.

Slipping my hand into her hair at the base of her skull, I pulled her head back in order to kiss her skin, urging her on. "Fuck, you feel so good this way," I panted, my eyes rolling back when she finally rolled in one erotic wave. "Oh God, just like that, love."

Gripping her ass, I guided her, reveling in every sound, every gasped "I love you," and every roll of her hips. She found out quickly what felt good to her. If she tilted her hips just right, her clit rubbed over my pelvic bone, which caused her breathing to stop. If she arched back, I'd lick, tease, and suck at her nipples, my eyes never leaving her face. And if she kissed me, then I had to take over, because it all became too much for her.

It was the most beautiful rhythm I'd ever seen, but I needed her to come. And soon. Cupping her ass one more time, I let my fingers explore her – where we were connected, how wet she was, and her other entrance, which caused a fantastic string of hissed curses to escape her mouth against the skin of my neck.

"Mm," I moaned, grinning against the side of her neck. "Does that feel good, baby?" I asked, swirling my finger again.

"Yes, yes," she chanted. "Fuck, Edward..."

Applying just a touch more pressure, I moaned when she completely and utterly shattered in my arms. In fact, her whole body shook with the force of it, and she pulled me under right along with her. Sitting up, I wrapped myself completely around her as we both came down from our high.

She buried her face in the crook of my neck as her hands gripped my shoulders from behind. We were sticky, sweaty, and I'd never been more satisfied in my life.

Trailing my fingertips up and down her spine, I pulled back to look at her. "That was..."

"Intense," she finished breathlessly with a sweet smirk on her face. "Love you..."

"Love you, too, Bella. What do you want to do today? I don't go back to the base until Monday," I told her.

She smiled, biting her bottom lip. "I want to hear you play," she stated. "And I want to make you breakfast."

Chuckling, I thought that sounded just about fucking perfect. "Done. Now, get that sweet ass in the shower!"

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So two full weeks together, okay? :) We cover a lot over those two weeks, so don't feel like this is it. There is much more left to this story.**

**I know you guys love the double postings, and I promise that we'll have more, but for tomorrow, we'll be back to regular updates.**

**I need to stop and take a second to thank you. ALL OF YOU. This weekend was what we were all waiting for – us to give to you, and you to finally see our couple together. I know that at some points, patience wore thin, that you didn't quite see where we were going, but trust me, Jenny and I busted our asses to get to this point...FOR YOU. :) Thank you for all the love thanks you sent our way yesterday. Believe me, we felt it.**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	93. Chapter 93: Bella

**A/N #1: Scientists have wondered why there was a heat wave up to 212 degrees Farenheit the last two days...but WE don't wonder. ;) So glad you guys enjoyed the double posting both Saturday & Sundy. *grin* There's lots more to the girls' visit, so check out our fave couple post shower! ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 8:55 A.M.**

Edward and I took our time in the shower, but I was indeed very sore, so other than a few not-so-innocent touches while we lovingly washed one another, we didn't get up to any hanky-panky. Although when he pulled me back against his chest, his cock already hard against my backside, and promised me that we would have plenty of opportunities to break in his shower and bathtub before I left, it had taken all my control to not jump him right then.

"What do you want for breakfast?" I asked as I slid my shorts on over the purple bikini panties.

Edward's deep chuckle came from behind me, and I turned to look over my shoulder to find out what had him so amused. He was sitting on the end of the bed, his eyes glued to my ass.

To tease him, I bent over more to grab a T-shirt from my suitcase, making sure to wiggle said ass just for him.

"Bella, you're killing me," he groaned as I giggled. "Get dressed, sweetheart, before I forget just how sore you are." When I straightened and pulled the shirt on, he continued, "As for breakfast, I honestly have no idea what we have in the fridge. If we can't find anything, we can run out to the grocery."

Holding out my hand, I nodded and said, "Well, come on, then. For some reason, I've worked up quite an appetite."

His wicked grin told me he knew exactly what that reason was, and he was damn proud of it.

We walked down the hall quietly, since we could hear snores coming from both other bedrooms. I hadn't heard the others get back the night before, but I'd been...otherwise occupied, so I guess they'd slipped in undetected.

"Did you hear them get back?" I whispered, motioning with my thumb over my shoulder as we walked into the living room.

Edward shook his head. "Not last night. I knew they were here, though, because when I got up, I could hear someone go into the other bathroom."

Fair enough.

When we got to the kitchen, Edward took at seat on the counter, watching me as I went to the fridge. "Whatcha gonna make?"

I laughed at his eager tone. "If you have everything, I thought I'd do French toast."

His brow scrunched up, and he shrugged. "Honestly, I have no idea. Don't you need eggs and bread for that?"

Nodding, I pulled out the carton of eggs, along with the milk and butter from the refrigerator. "Normally I'd use half-and-half, but you don't have any, so milk will work."

"I can go get some," he hedged, and I could tell he really didn't want to go out if he didn't have to.

Waving him off, I shook my head. "No worries. This works fine." After setting those on the counter beside him, I asked, "Where's the bread?"

Edward pointed to the small door on the other side of the fridge, and when I opened it, I found not only a new loaf of brioche—Jasper must have gotten it, knowing I'd want to do French toast while I was here—but also some honey and salt in the little pantry.

I was in the middle of whisking everything together to soak the bread in when four sleepy people wandered in. Emmett and Rose were the only ones completely dressed, while Jasper and Alice were in boxers and T-shirts.

"We're gonna go get coffee," Rose explained. "They have black, but none of us would want that."

Emmett grumbled about having to go out this early, but Rose simply leaned up and whispered something in his ear, and he suddenly stood up straight, looking _much_ happier.

"You so don't want to know," I said with a shake of my head, giggling at Edward's raised eyebrow. He'd been ready to ask what Rose had told Emmett, and from past experience, I knew it wasn't something any of the rest of us wanted to hear.

Turning to them, I gave her a wink. "Go on, then. French toast will be ready by the time you get back."

"Thanks, Bellsy," Emmett said happily, rubbing his stomach.

"Yeah, yeah." I grinned and turned back to Alice as Rose and Emmett headed for the front door. "What time did you guys get in last night?"

She giggled and looked up at Jasper, snuggling into his embrace. "About thirty minutes after you guys."

_Oh..._ No wonder we hadn't heard them.

Rather than pursue that potentially embarrassing line of conversation, I changed the topic as I cut thick slices from the bread in front of me. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

~oooOOOooo~

Shortly after breakfast, the others disappeared into their bedrooms while Edward led me into the living room, urging me to sit down on love seat beside the keyboard.

"You know this was a totally selfish gift, right?" I asked as he settled himself on the small bench seat that had come with it.

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Oh really? And why would that be, Isabella?"

Even though he was clearly teasing me, I just shrugged and said unashamedly, "The few pieces you sent me weren't nearly enough. I want to hear you play, and this was the best way."

Grinning, he started with _Clair de Lune_, which I'd heard him play before. "I love this song," he murmured softly, looking over at me. "My mom used to play this for me before she got sick."

I curled my legs up, hugging my knees so I could use them to rest my chin as I listened to him play.

From there, he transitioned into another piece that I recognized as Mozart. For nearly half an hour, I listened to him play everything from classical to picking out melodies from contemporary pop, and even a few country songs scattered in there. At one point, he played the song I recognized as the one he'd written for his mother, and by the end, I found myself wiping away silent tears. He looked so happy and at peace, and it was a beautiful thing to watch.

When he looked up at me and started a new song, I felt my heart flip in my chest. I didn't recognize whatever the song was, and it had enough of the same feeling as his mother's that I had to assume it was one he'd composed himself.

There was an almost wistful quality to it at the beginning, and then it quickly moved into happy and light, sounding like the notes were dancing on air. It grew to a crescendo before I realized I was crying again, and this time, I didn't bother wiping them away. I was too entranced by the love I could hear coming through those notes to worry about anything else.

By the time the last note died away, I was up and out of my seat, tangling my fingers into his hair and pressing my lips to his. I'd have crawled up on his lap, but I knew the bench wasn't meant for two people. He must have known that, too, because he cursed softly against my lips and stood, scooping me into his arms. I hung on, burying my face in his neck as he carried me swiftly down the hall to the bedroom.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: There ya go. There's your answer to the question about what happened to Alice/Jasper & Rose/Emmett. ;) Everyone got their reunions...and if they'd not been so wrapped up in each other, I'm sure they'd have heard each other! ;)**

**Who else is swooning over Edward playing the piano for Bella? :D**

**Leave Bella & me some love (& again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the sweet words so far! *sigh* :) ), and then go on and see what happens with Sarge. ;) – Jenny**


	94. Chapter 94: Edward

**A/N #1: Aww, Bella finally got to really hear Sarge play the piano. I can just imagine how overwhelmingly emotional that would be. Now, note the date... It's Sarge's real birthday. So let's celebrate with him...**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 6:13 A.M.**

"Happy birthday, Edward," Bella mumbled sleepily, burrowing farther into the covers.

Grinning, I bent down and gave her cheek a soft kiss. "Thank you, sweet girl. Go back to sleep. I'll be back. I'm just going for a run."

"'Kay," she said with a yawn, pulling the covers over her head.

Chuckling at my sleepy girl, I left the room. I couldn't fall back to sleep, and I couldn't touch her because she was way too sore. It was my fault she was so damned exhausted, so I'd opted for a run. It usually helped me clear my head, and it would give Bella a chance to get some rest.

I walked into the kitchen to find Jasper groggily pouring a cup of coffee. His usually tamed blond hair stuck up in every direction, not unlike mine on a daily basis.

"Happy birthday, Sarge," he rasped, blinking up at me. "Going for a run?"

"Thanks. Wanna go?" I asked.

"Yeah, gimme a sec," he sighed, rubbing his face and taking a sip out of his mug.

He disappeared into his room, coming back out wearing running shoes and a pair of shorts. "I'm sure Alice thanks you," he said with a wry grin. "Well, she would if she was speaking. I'm pretty sure she's in a coma. The girls do love to sleep in during the summer..."

"Right," I chuckled, leading us out onto the front porch.

Once we were stretched, we started a slow jog up the street, aiming for Bayshore. It was my favorite part of the run. Not only did it give an amazing view of Tampa Bay but the city skyline, as well. It was nowhere near the size of Chicago, but it was cool all the same.

It was a seven-mile run from one end of Bayshore to Ballast Point Park, though we were sort of starting in the middle. By the time we'd reached the park, I needed water. Way too much drinking in the last few days had dehydrated me.

"We might as well take our time," Jasper panted as he waited for me to drink from the fountain.

I nodded, wandering away from him to cool down for a bit. It was already a sweltering eighty-something at seven in the morning, and the humidity coming off of the water was not helping. At the farthest end of the park was a long pier, and from there, you could just barely make out the end of MacDill, though the constant air traffic gave it away.

Sitting down on a bench, I let my head fall back to the pier's railing. I heard Jasper approach and opened an eye to look at him. I needed to thank him. Seriously.

"I owe you one, man," I sighed, sitting forward and resting my elbows on my knees. "Thank you for bringing Bella here."

He grinned, all crooked and happy. "It wasn't all me, Sarge. Alice had a lot to do with it. And it was purely selfish, I assure you. I missed my wife."

I laughed and nodded. "I can imagine. Does it get easier? Being away?" I asked him, thinking about having to let my girl go at the end of her visit.

"No, man. It doesn't." He huffed a humorless laugh. "Not at all. Ali's strong and sharp, but I still worry about her alone. I don't think that'll change." He studied my face for a moment. "Bella's tough, but this is new for her, so I should tell you to brace yourself. She's as happy as I've ever seen her...so when this trip for them is over, I can imagine it'll be...emotional. The first time Alice and I separated for a few weeks..." He stopped, shaking his head. "She just about killed me."

I stood up, stretching my back, thinking it wasn't only going to be Bella that would crack when we had to separate until October because I'd finally found the other half of me, that one person I couldn't live without. Taking a deep breath, I nodded to him.

"Thanks," I sighed, gesturing that we should start back.

"Yeah, we should go. I believe the girls have big plans for your birthday. You sure you don't wanna just go out?" he laughed, slapping my shoulder.

"Hell, no. Staying in is just fine," I chuckled, shaking my head no. "Besides, Bella promised me a cake."

Jasper grinned. "Well, hell... That's worth it right there. Let's go."

~oooOOOooo~

It really was just best to stay out of the way. So as I sat at my new piano, I glanced up at the kitchen. The girls were working together like a seamless machine while Jasper and Emmett started the grill on the back patio. I truly was useless when it came to cooking, so I'd just opted to duck and run. Not that they'd let me do anything anyway.

It had been a relaxing as hell day, all thanks to the people bolting in and out the back door. The girls had slept in until at least noon and then got up to head to the store, only to come back and start immediately on my cake. The smells coming out of that kitchen were driving me crazy.

There was something comforting and familial with the way it felt in the house. The constant teasing, laughter, and smiles proved to me that they'd known each other for years, especially the girls, but I didn't feel left out. At all. They told me stories about each other, each trying to find that most embarrassing moment. Emmett usually won out, because he had no shame in public.

But it was my girl my eyes kept falling to, my hands never leaving the keys. I'd play whatever her smile, her adorably wrinkled nose, or her sweet laugh brought to mind. She was happy, and I wanted it to always be that way. Now that I had her in front of me, I only felt cemented in my feelings for her. I was done. She owned me. I'd thought I felt that way before we'd met face to face, but now it was another level altogether. I wanted everything with her, and seeing her in my kitchen only proved it.

"You look awfully pensive, Sarge," I heard beside me, and I chuckled, looking up at her.

"No, love. Just thinking. It's best to stay out of the way," I told her, spinning on the bench so that I could pull her to stand between my legs. I had to laugh when I gazed up at her. "It seems you've been taste testing the icing, sweet girl," I snickered, pulling her closer to my lips. Knowing I was probably playing with fire, I licked the corner of her mouth slowly, cleaning up every bit of chocolate I could get because Bella and icing were a fan-fucking-tastic mixture.

Bella giggled but kissed me back fully, leaving my whole being aching for more. "God, you really are shameless when it comes to sweets."

"To _you_. Not sweets...you, baby," I reiterated, making sure she could see that I was telling the truth. "The combination may just kill me."

Bella laughed, kissing my nose. "Well, let's see if that theory holds true...after dinner. C'mon, handsome. It's time to eat."

The food was amazing, as was the cake Bella had made. I'd begged them earlier not to buy presents...or sing...or even light a single fucking candle. Not one of them had listened, because even Bella said she had a gift for me for later.

Setting a bottle of Patrón down onto the table, Emmett boomed, "Let's play 'I've Never.'"

"That's totally not fair," Bella huffed, sitting back against me as we shared a lounger on the back porch. "You've _done_ everything – and you're not ashamed to admit it."

I laughed, burying that shit into her hair.

"That just means he'll be trashed at the end of this game," Rose muttered wryly, rolling her eyes at her husband's grin. "But pour the shots. I'll go first," she said, holding up the glass when she was ready. "I've never...been outside the country," she stated, grinning when Jasper, Emmett, and I had to drink.

"She's only getting started," Bella murmured to me. "She'll drink you under the table and still walk straight when it's all said and done."

"Shut it, Bellsy," Rose laughed. "It's your go."

"Hmm...I've never...had sex in public," my girl said with a laugh, because the other four groaned when they had to take a shot.

I, however, left my shot glass where it was on the table. When Bella turned to face me with a raised eyebrow, I bent to her ear. "I told you I wanted it, not that I'd done it – an activity I plan to experience before your vacation is over, Miss Swan."

She laughed nervously, her sweet cheeks tinging the darkest shades of pink I'd seen yet. "Fine, smart ass...your turn."

Chuckling, I looked around the porch. "I've never...been tattooed," I stated, knowing my girl had to drink, not to mention Emmett. What surprised me was when Alice groaned and knocked back a shot.

"Don't ask where it is!" she snapped, wearing the most hilarious of grins as we all broke into laughter. "My turn. Um, I've never...been on a boat."

"Dammit," Bella groaned, rolling her eyes and taking her shot, along with myself, Jasper, and Emmett. "You can thank Charlie for that one. Fishing is his thing...and not mine. Unfortunately, we found that out the hard way."

"Seasick, sweetheart?" I asked, kissing the back of her head.

"Seasick, landsick, fishsick...not my favorite hobby," she groaned. "That is not a _like __father, like daughter_ scenario."

"But put a gun in her hand..." Rose laughed.

"Really?" I asked, somehow getting hard at the thought of it, and she felt that shit instantly as it pressed into her back. I remembered her mentioning something about that in one of her emails, but I hadn't realized she was quite that good.

"Just you wait, dude," Emmett laughed, pointing to Bella. "When we go to the shooting range with her dad...you'll see. He taught her well."

After a few more shots, everyone decided to call it quits, considering the guys and I had to head back to the base the next morning. By the time my buzzed ass got Bella to my room, all I wanted was to wrap myself around her, even if we talked all night, but she had other ideas.

"Don't move," she stated almost in a growl as she pushed me back against the bedroom door. "I know you said no presents, but I have something for you to unwrap..." Her smile was naughty, sexy, and all things I could barely wrap my mind around at the moment, but when she tugged her shirt off over her head and shoved her shorts down to the floor, I couldn't help the moan that escaped me.

Ribbons. Every tiny, blue lacy thing she was wearing was being held together by sweet bows, and my hands itched to untie them. But she smirked, shaking her head at me.

"Not so fast, Sarge," she purred, walking back to me to skim her hands under my shirt to tug it off over my head.

When she knelt in front of me, I knew what was coming, and my head fell back to the door. The conflicting feelings of wanting to watch her fought with how fast I'd come while looking at her. Not that I looked away for long, because as soon as her hands reached for the button of my cargo shorts, I looked back down at her.

"Baby, you don't..."

"Hush. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this..." she said, tugging my shorts and boxers to the floor so I could kick out of them. "My, my, Mr. Masen...if you aren't hard already. Mmm, and leaking, too."

"It's a constant state I've been in since you arrived," I chuckled darkly, shrugging a shoulder when she gazed up at me, wearing the sexiest of smirks. But when she licked her lips, my laugh turned into a moan. "Christ, Bella... I won't last long like this. You have no...fuck me...no idea how good you look down there," I sputtered, squeezing my eyes closed when her hand wrapped around my dick.

I'd be a lying bastard if I said I didn't want it. I'd fantasized about it more than I'd care to admit, but the reality of watching her tongue flick out and drag slowly along the underside of my shaft was erotic, intimate, and un-fucking-believable. It took all I had not to thrust my hips forward when her mouth teased me, licked me, finally sinking fully down around me as far as she could go.

Bella used her hands, her teeth, her tongue, all to drive me closer and closer to the edge. And I was so right; I didn't last long at all, because the sight of her lips wrapped around my cock was too much. I could see every bit of her love, her want pouring out of her. She wasn't shy, wasn't afraid to touch, hum around me, or reach around to my ass, urging me to move. As I got closer and closer to the edge, I gently threaded my fingers into her hair.

"Oh, shit, baby...so close..." I warned her, but she only sped up her movements, sucked that much harder, and I was done, especially when she swallowed around me. It was all I could take, and I came hard down her throat. "Jesus," I panted, my head falling back to the door again, but I had to peek when her sweet giggle met my ears.

She was standing in front of me, all lace, satin ribbons, and sex, licking her lips the way I'd eaten a piece of my fucking phenomenal birthday cake. Reaching up, I dragged my thumb across her bottom lip, trailing my fingers down her throat to the pretty bow between her perfect breasts.

"Mine?" I asked in a whisper.

"Yes, babe. Yours," she answered, watching as I tugged slowly at the bow until it fell open. "Happy birthday, Edward," she whispered back.

"You were the only thing I wanted, and I got so much more," I told her, reaching for either side of her hips to tug those bows open as well. "I love you, sweet girl...more than I ever thought possible."

"I love you, too, babe. Take me to bed," she ordered, wrapping her arms around my neck, and I scooped her up, falling into the unmade bed to lose myself in her.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Hmm, now that's a happy birthday boy! ;)**

**Okay, guys, it seems that some of you noticed over the weekend that our couple didn't use any protection. Nope. They sure didn't. However, all discussions concerning being disease free have already happened right around the time the boys were in Germany. And in chapter 67, Bella lets it slip that she's on birth control, which explained her little meltdown when Edward went out for a beer – you know, hormones. So...that being said, the lack of protection wasn't a mistake, and no one is (or will be) pregnant.**

**There are some pic teases that go with this chapter, and they can be found on my blog, Jenny's site, or on FB.**

**We love you guys so much for all the love and support and patience with us. The praise we received over the weekend was more than we expected, and I'm awed by it. Thank you. We'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	95. Chapter 95: Bella

**A/N #1: So Edward had a pretty good birthday, huh? :) You'll notice that we are skipping time each chapter. With two weeks in Florida, if we wrote up each minute of each day, this story would be even longer than it already is. But don't worry. ;) You're still going to get plenty of good stuff, including lemons... *grin***

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Monday, June 21, 2010 at 6:13 A.M.**

"Go back to sleep, sweetheart," Edward murmured softly, brushing my hair back from my forehead. "I'm going to take a shower, and then we have to go to work."

I made a noise of agreement, puckering up my lips for a kiss.

Edward complied with a chuckle and then turned to go into the bathroom. It was quiet for several minutes, and then the water in the sink turned on so he could shave.

I pulled the sheet up, stretching and taking inventory of any aches or pains. There really wasn't anything, although I shouldn't have been surprised. The night before, Edward had thoroughly enjoyed his gift and had spent a long time unwrapping it, loving on every inch of skin he uncovered. When we finally came together, it was slow and gentle. It had been another first for me, because we'd been in what I thought of as a reverse spooning position, where we were on our sides, facing one another. There hadn't been a lot of movement, but it had left us free to touch – and touch, we had. Our hands had stroked and teased everywhere we could reach, and when we'd finally come, it had been together, barely any sound at all escaping around our kiss.

I couldn't believe how much more I felt for him after finally meeting him face to face. I'd loved him before, of course; I knew that, but now... Now it was like he had seeped into every pore, like I breathed only because he did. How I was supposed to leave him in two weeks, I didn't have a clue. I hoped the girls would have answers for me because I planned to ask them later.

The shower finally turned on, pulling me out of my thoughts. Of course, that just left room for thoughts of Edward...wet...and alone in the shower.

_The hell with that,_ I thought, throwing back the covers.

I grabbed Edward's T-shirt from the floor by the door and raced down the hall to the spare bathroom, where I took care of Mother Nature. Then I ran back to my room, grinning at Emmett, who was rubbing sleep from his eyes as he headed to the bathroom to get ready for work.

Once in the bedroom, I stripped off the shirt and crept into the bathroom, closing the door gently so as not to alert Edward.

The stealth must have worked, because when I stepped in through the shower curtain, he jumped, surprised at suddenly realizing he wasn't alone.

"What are you doing awake, sweetheart?" he asked, pulling me under the spray with him.

I giggled. "The thought of you in here all alone...wet...was too much to resist."

Edward's eyes darkened, and he grinned shamelessly. "Mm, so you decided to come be...wet with me?"

His erection, which was already hard between us, twitched against my stomach as I purred, "Oh, Sarge...I'm _always_ wet for you. I thought you knew that."

I'd barely gotten the words out when his lips crashed into mine. He tangled his fingers into my now wet curls, angling my head so he could control the kiss.

Finally pulling back, he rested his forehead against mine as we both breathed in the warm, humid air in the enclosed space of the bathroom. "Fuck, Isabella. You can't say things like that to me and not expect me to do something about it."

I grinned, turning in his arms to place my hands on the tile wall and bending slightly at the waist. Looking back over my shoulder, I teased, "Who said I didn't expect you to do anything about it?"

As he looked me over, his eyes raking from head to toe, over my arched back, my ass wiggling slightly, and the expression of want I knew he could see on my face, he moved his hand down to grip his cock. I could see the movement as he squeezed it, sliding up and down a few times as he pulled his lower lip between his teeth.

"Fuck," he hissed, almost to himself. "Really? You aren't too sore?"

Shaking my head, I turned on my best sex kitten voice and told him, "Fuck me, Sarge. I want to feel it all day while we're apart."

There was no more hesitation. Edward moved behind me, put one hand on my hip to steady me, and used the other to line himself up with my entrance, where he slowly pushed in.

I hadn't been lying when I said I was always wet for him. I was completely ready for him, and he slid in with ease, all the way until our thighs touched. "God, that feels good," I groaned, feeling myself tighten around him as my body adjusted to his size.

"Christ, Bella!" Edward growled. "I swear it feels better every time."

There were no more words after that. The hot, damp air was like a blanket over us as Edward began moving. It was all I could do to brace myself on the wall in front of me so his long, hard, thrusts didn't send me crashing into the tile. His hands on my hips kept me as steady as possible, and from this position, he was able to hit just the right spots to have me seeing stars.

Just when I thought it might become too much – the heat, the damp air, the pressure on my hands and the friction down below – Edward reached around with one hand and found my clit.

"Come for me, baby," he huffed, his voice raspy.

When he flicked his fingers over me, I was done. I shattered around him, white light exploding behind my eyelids as I came, his name falling from my lips. And that pulled him with me, because with one last hard thrust, I felt him release inside me, his cock pulsing.

We stood there for several minutes, catching our breath, until Edward finally pulled out of me, making us both groan. When he held his arms open, I went willingly, wrapping my own around his waist.

"God, I love you," he sighed. "What a fucking way to start my morning."

"No pun intended..." I giggled as he looked down at me with a smirk.

Just then, the temperature of the water dropped a few degrees, and Edward sighed. "Apparently we've been in here long enough."

I laughed, grabbing the soap and handing it to him. "You first while I wash my hair."

While I shampooed, Edward did what he needed to do. After I'd rinsed the soap out of my hair, he pulled me to him. "Finish up in here. I need to get out and dressed."

"Say goodbye before you go?" I requested, brushing my lips across his.

"Will do." He gave me one last kiss and then stepped out, reaching for one of the towels on the rack just outside the shower.

Once he'd left the bathroom, I hurriedly conditioned my hair, leaving it on while I washed my body with the body wash I'd brought with me to Florida. I wanted to be out of the shower before Edward had to leave – not to mention before the water got any cooler.

Edward was just finishing with his shoes when I came into the bedroom, one towel wrapped around my body and another around my hair.

"Mm, you look good enough to eat," he said, leaning down to lap at a drop of water that had beaded on my shoulder.

Laughing, I pulled his face to mine and gave him a long kiss. "Now, go to work. Text me when you can, but I think the girls and I are just planning to stay in today, so I should be here all day."

He nodded, giving me one more kiss before sliding out the bedroom door, shutting it behind him so I could get dressed.

I heard him talking with the guys as they went out the front door, and then his SUV cranked up and pulled away as I was reaching for his dog tags for the first time in two days.

~oooOOOooo~

"Can I ask you guys something?" I looked at Rose and Alice, who were sprawled out on the couch and other recliner. We had indeed decided to stay in for the day, since all of us were pretty damn wiped out from the weekend with our guys.

"What's up, Bellsy?" Rose asked, clicking mute on the TV remote.

"How hard is it going to be to leave here when the time comes? We've only been here a couple of days, and I can't even imagine it..."

Alice sighed. "Bella, I wish I could tell you there was an easy solution. There isn't. Honestly, it's one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do – to say goodbye and walk away. We've been doing it for a few years now, and it doesn't get easier, unfortunately."

Rose gave me a sad smile. "The only consolation we have this time is that they aren't leaving to go overseas. That's when it's hardest...when you know they are going off to a war zone and could be hurt or killed at any moment. Now...yeah, it sucks, but they're just here in Tampa, not going back over to Afghanistan. Ya know?"

I nodded. "I figured as much. And yeah, Rose, you're right. We do have that to be thankful for. I just know I'm going to be a mess. You guys always seem okay when Em and Jazz leave, so I wasn't sure if you'd found a way to deal with it or not."

They both barked a laugh, shaking their heads.

Alice finally calmed enough to respond. "Bella, you don't usually see us for a few hours after they leave. We're both snotty, sobbing messes every time. We try and be strong for them, but they can always tell. I know it hurts Jasper when I get that upset, but I usually can't help it."

Rose agreed, saying, "I tend to get stinking drunk, too, although I wouldn't recommend it. You wake up feeling not only the sadness and pain that he's gone, but also sick from all the booze."

We laughed, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"Anyway," Alice continued, "we have an end date this time. By the time we leave, we _know_ it will only be three months, almost to the day, that they come home. And like Rose said, we know that for those three months, they will be safe. No bombs, no enemies pointing guns their way, no worry that at any moment, we'll see a man in uniform knock on our door. So we'll lean on each other, text and call and Skype with the guys as much as we can, and we'll get through those three months as best we can."

"We'll be right there with you, sweetie," Rose promised, giving me a smile. "Okay?"

With a sigh, I nodded. "Thanks, guys."

Alice, who was beside me on the couch, squeezed my hand.

Rose shrugged. "That's what we do for each other, Bells. No worries." She held the remote up. "Now, who wants more _Real Housewives_ marathon?"

A few minutes later, my phone beeped, indicating a new text message.

_E: Just had a minute while everyone takes a break to get something to drink. It's damn hot out today. What are you up to, love?_

I grinned, hitting the reply button on the screen.

_B: We're just watching TV. We actually ventured out and found a Subway for lunch but decided it was too hot to stay out._

_E: Mm, Subway. I had a meeting with one of officers here earlier, so I barely had time to grab a bag of Cheetos. Food sounds damn good right now._

_B: I have stuff to make lasagna tonight, babe, so you should have plenty of food later._

_E: Tease! **grin** Garlic bread, too?_

_B: Of course! What kind of lasagna dinner would it be if there wasn't garlic bread and salad with homemade Italian dressing? *shakes head*_

_E: Good. My stomach is growling for it already, gorgeous._

_E: I need to run, love. We'll be home in a few hours. Love you!_

_B: Love you, too, babe. See you soon._

Pocketing my phone, my heart felt better than it had since Edward had left earlier that morning. I knew the girls were right... Leaving was going to be more than hard, but having Edward's sweet, silly words at my fingertips would ease some of the pain.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ahh, so some good shower stuff. ;) Also, I love that they can still tease each other when they're in the same city. That bodes well for the future, yeah? I hope you enjoyed the girl talk, too. :)**

**Now, leave us some love (thank you to everyone for all the kind words & support!), and then see what Sarge has to say for himself. *hugs* – Jenny**


	96. Chapter 96: Edward

**A/N #1: Nothing wrong with a little shower lovin'! ;) And now, let's check in with Sarge on base.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 11:30 A.M.**

"Go, go, go! That's not fast enough. Move it!" Emmett yelled at the new recruits on the obstacle course. He truly did enjoy egging them on because they couldn't do shit about it. First, he was one big motherfucker, and second, he outranked them. Plus, he loved to put them through exactly what I'd put him through.

Chuckling, I leaned against the wall, pulling out my phone. There were no messages from Bella yet, but the girls had said they were going shopping for the day. The guys said not to expect much communication because they "took that shit seriously."

I looked up when Wells hobbled my way on his crutches, smiling like he'd won the lottery.

"Hey, Sarge," he sighed wearily, still wearing his smirk.

"What did the doc say, Jeff?" I asked, noting that his cast had been changed.

"That it's all good, sir. I'm healing clean. There shouldn't be any problems," he explained, shrugging a shoulder. "Although, I'm staying here when October rolls around."

"You re-upped? And they're keeping you in Tampa?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said with a grin. "The wife is already here. She left Miami yesterday. In fact, she's down at the base's beach today."

We both looked up when Emmett called for the break for lunch. And Jeff's last statement reminded me that I needed talk to the girls.

Turning back to Wells, I slapped his shoulder. "Good for you, man. Have Emmett drive you over to see her for lunch. Got me?"

"Yes, sir," he laughed, pushing off with his crutches.

I scrolled through my phone, dialing Bella and walking away.

"Hey, sexy," she purred into the phone.

Grinning, I rolled my eyes. "Hi, sweet girl. Have you bought out the mall?"

"No," she answered with a laugh. "But I did find this really cute bra and panties set."

I moaned shamelessly. "Hmm, what color?"

"Black."

"Nice. Did you take a picture?" I laughed.

"Nope. Suffer, big guy. You'll see it soon enough," she said haughtily. "So to what do I owe the pleasure, Sarge?"

"Believe me, Isabella," I started, unable to stop myself from teasing her, "I'll show you _pleasure_ when I get home. I think that mark on your stomach is getting awfully light..."

"Promises, promises..."

"Hush, beautiful," I snorted. "Two things, love. First, I want to take you out Friday. Just the two of us."

"Are you asking me out, Masen?" she chuckled. "Like fancy clothes and everything?"

"Yes, ma'am," I laughed. "Please?"

"Of course, babe. And now I have a real reason to shop, aside from things you usually tear off in thirty seconds."

"Keep buying those, Miss Swan. Those are the sweetest thirty seconds of my life," I said, lowering my voice to the tone that I now knew drove her crazy. "My goal is to rip every color of the rainbow off your sweet ass before you go home. Then I may frame each and every pair of panties just to remind you that you shouldn't have had them on in the first place."

"Oh, damn," she groaned. "Edward Masen, please don't drive me crazy while I'm standing in the middle of the mall. Please?"

I laughed, knowing she'd have no shame to give it right back, but I wanted to ask her one more thing.

"Okay, next thing, baby. Would you girls like to come with us to the base tomorrow? There's a beach you can hang out on all day. I heard you girls talking about it," I told her.

"Oh, yeah... Hang on, babe, let me get Rose and Alice." I heard her tell them about the beach, and she came back to me after exuberant answers echoed over the line. "That's a yes."

"Okay, well... Here's the catch. You have to ride in with us early in the morning, or you can't come on the base. We have to get you in. All right?"

"Yeah, no problem."

"Good," I sighed, smiling that she could be so close tomorrow. "I'm gonna grab a quick lunch, love. I'll see you when I get home."

Something about that line felt so damn good, so right.

"Love you," she sang, ending the phone call.

~oooOOOooo~

"Edward?"

"Hmm?" I hummed against Bella's belly, not bothering to open my eyes.

I was way too fucking comfortable, with a full stomach on top of it. It didn't help that we'd just ravished the shit out of each other because I hadn't been kidding her; the love bite just above her bikini line had faded way too much for my liking. And now her fingers ran slowly through my hair over and over.

"Where are you taking me Friday?" she asked, scratching her nails along my scalp.

"Out, Isabella," I grunted, still keeping my eyes closed, fighting my smile when she huffed frustratedly.

"Out where?"

I lifted my head, setting my chin on her bellybutton and wrapping my arms around her. "You really want to know, sweet girl?"

I chuckled when her nose wrinkled adorably. The conflict was priceless – let it stay a surprise, or ruin it.

"No, I guess not," she finally sighed, pouting just a little.

"Good," I said, kissing her soft skin, opening my mouth to swirl my tongue in her navel. "I just want to show you off, beautiful. Let me do that."

"Okay," she snickered, grinning down at me. "What about tomorrow?" she asked before I could lay my head back down. I raised an eyebrow at her so she'd elaborate. "I mean, will you get a break to come see us? Have lunch with us?"

"Definitely. Why?" I asked, scooting up her body and settling between her legs. Bracing my elbows on either side of her head, I brushed her hair from her face. "As soon as we break for lunch, we'll drive over to you."

"Cool," she said, practically beaming. "I'll pack a big enough lunch for all of us then."

"You mean I don't have to eat fast food tomorrow?" I asked excitedly, causing her to laugh, her head falling back to the pillows.

"Nope. I'll most definitely make something better than French fries, Sarge. I promise." She giggled, and it turned into a sweet moan when I kissed her exposed neck.

"I'm holding you to that," I stated firmly, slipping back down her body to where my new love bite was clear as day. Trailing my tongue around it, I locked eyes with her. "Oh, yeah... One rule on our date, Isabella... No panties."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: O.o It's nice to know that some things didn't change with these two once they were face to face...teasing being one of them. LOL**

**So an upcoming trip to the base with the guys and a real date for our couple?**

**Technically, Sarge needs to get Bella on base. Alice and Rose would most likely have military IDs and could get Bella in, but it's much more fun if they all go together. :) I've been to that beach. It's quiet and calm. Because it's an inlet, there are no real waves like there would be on the actual Gulf of Mexico. But it's Florida sunshine nonetheless. ;)**

**Okay guys, we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb**


	97. Chapter 97: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys for all the love & support on yesterday's chapters. You're amazing! :) (and to the anonymous reviewer that said the story was getting cheesy & the author's notes were even worse...I'm sorry you're not enjoying it, but there's a simple solution. ;) ) Now, it's beach time! :)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 8:35 A.M.**

"Come on, ladies. Move it!" I heard Emmett call from the living room.

I grabbed my tote with all the essentials, from my Kindle to my sunblock to my phone and wallet, sliding my sunglasses on to the top of my head as I walked out of the bedroom. I knew we were running late already, so I hoped the girls were ready, too. When I met them in the hall, I grinned.

"You guys look great."

And they did. After Edward's invite the day before, we'd decided that since we were already at the mall, we should stock up on everything we'd need. We'd all bought cover-ups that we could wear from the house until we hit the beach itself, as well as the totes, sunscreen, and cute little beach towels. Rose was wearing a hot pink Ralph Lauren tunic with an empire waist and cap sleeves, while Alice was in a sleeveless scoop neck pleated A Line dress in white that showed off her black hair and fair skin to perfection.

"So do you," Rose assured me, grinning. "Edward is going to love that color."

We'd found a Nautica terry dress for me with a halter top that tied around my neck and had a rope tie right under my breasts, but the part that Edward would love was that it was blue – navy, but still blue. It just so happened to match the bikini I had on underneath.

"I do," a voice purred from behind Alice.

I looked up to see Edward watching me, his eyes dark, and laughed.

"C'mon, ladies," Jasper drawled from his spot in the doorway to his bedroom. "We're going to be late."

Edward reached for my bag, sliding his other arm around my waist as he walked with me to his SUV. I started to open the back door, but he opened the front passenger door and said, "They can sit in back."

When I looked up, he just grinned and motioned me into the car.

On our way to the base, the guys pointed out different landmarks and pretty sights. Tampa was a beautiful city, so different from Seattle and Forks. Washington was pretty, too, with all the green, but Tampa felt fresh and vibrant, the Gulf of Mexico combined with the warm sun giving it a whole different feel than the cloudy north Pacific Ocean.

When Edward pulled up to the gate at the base, the guys all passed him their military IDs, and he handed them all to the guard who had stepped up to the vehicle. "We have three visitors today."

The soldier looked into the windows as we all finger waved to him, and he smiled. "I'll need to see their IDs, as well, so I can make note of it on the log."

I got out my driver's license, and when the girls gave me their military spouse IDs, I passed them to Edward, who handed them over.

After a minute in the booth, the guard stepped back to the SUV and handed Edward back all six cards. "Have a good day, ladies. Sergeant."

"Thank you," Alice, Rose, and I said in unison, making Edward, Emmett, and Jasper smirk as Edward drove through the now open gate.

After driving around to where he could drop us off, Edward said, "I'll call you when we break for lunch, okay?"

"M'kay!" I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss, knowing they didn't have much time to get to where they needed to be. "Love you, babe."

He grinned. "Love you, too, sweetheart. Have fun, ladies."

The girls climbed out of the SUV, lugging the cooler we'd stocked earlier that morning with lunch stuff for the six of us, and we waved as Edward drove away.

"To the beach!" Alice told us happily, linking her arms with us as she stepped between Rose and me. "The sun is calling."

~oooOOOooo~

I was on my back on the towel, my eyes closed, when I felt something hit my foot. Propping myself up on my elbows, I looked down to see a volleyball nestled in the sand.

"Sorry about that!" a voice called.

When my eyes continued up, I saw that it had come from a cute guy that if I had to guess was barely twenty. He and two friends were jogging up to the three of us, boyish grins on their faces. All three were bare chested, wearing nothing but swimsuits and dog tags. They were cute – although nowhere near Edward or even Emmett and Jasper handsome – and their body language was completely open and flirtatious.

"Are you pretty ladies enjoying the beach?" asked the same guy who had called out an apology. "We didn't hit you too hard with the ball, did we?"

"That was my fault, by the way," the second one said, his face coloring slightly. "I'm Tim. This is Shawn and Ryder." He motioned to the guy closest to me first, followed by the one who was ogling Rose.

"Nope, it just bumped my foot. I'm Bella. It's nice to meet you." Gesturing to the girls, I said, "That's Alice, and Rose is on the end."

"Are you here visiting someone? I've never seen you around before, and I think I'd have noticed a pretty girl like you." Shawn was very definitely flirting with me, and while I was flattered, I was also totally _not_ interested.

"Rose. That's a pretty name," Ryder told her. "Would you like to play volleyball? You could be on my team."

Looking over at Alice, I saw her smothering a laugh, and then I noticed Rose, who was trying her damnedest to flash her wedding ring without being obnoxious.

"Come on and play," he tried again when she didn't say anything. "If you don't know how to play, I can help..."

"Sorry," Rose said sweetly. "I'm married." She finally just held up her hand and wiggled her finger.

Alice jumped right in. "Me, too! Sorry!"

Shawn was looking closely at me. "What about you, Bella? I don't see a ring..."

I wasn't sure what to say. Obviously, I was going to tell him thanks, but no thanks, but I also didn't want to be rude. It wasn't his fault I was completely and utterly off the market – and happily so.

Opening my mouth to tell him just that, I didn't get a word out before a smooth, but deadly quiet voice came from behind me. "Not yet, but she's taken just the same. Move along, soldier."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Hehehe We couldn't have three sexy women show up in bikinis on a beach full of military guys without having at least one of them hitting on them, could we? And ooooh, Sarge sounds just yummy there at the end, doesn't he? ;) LOL**

**We have a picture of the beach at Macdill, where the girls are, so check out Deb's blog, my site, or Facebook. Links to them all can be found on our profile.**

**Leave us some love & then go see what else Sarge has to say to the...most unfortunate young soldier who is daring to flirt with his woman. ;) – Jenny**


	98. Chapter 98: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh, boy... You guys either know me too well, or you're anticipating Sarge's attitude. :) I'm sure you want to find out, so I'll just move out of the way. **

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 11:56 A.M.**

"Well done, men," I grunted, looking at the time on my phone. "When you come back from lunch, we'll be working with Special Ops."

"Sir!" the young men all echoed back.

"Dismissed," I muttered, waving them off.

I glanced over the list in my hand of the next class starting tomorrow. My squad got them ready to start working with Special Ops and then turned them loose. It was taking just about three weeks to get each class to that point, especially when we were rotating old squads out with new ones in. According to my CO's reports, the training program was deemed a success. So far. I figured we wouldn't really know until the men got overseas.

"Come on, Sarge. I'm starving," Emmett urged, practically begging.

Smiling, I glanced up at him from the list. "And the fact that the girls made lunch has nothing to do with your hurry."

"Uh, no. The fact that the girls made lunch _and_ they're down at the beach in sweet as hell bikinis is what's urging him on," Jasper laughed, ducking Emmett's giant hand.

Laughing, I nodded. "Okay... let's go. We have about an hour and a half before we have to be back."

Driving over to the beach didn't take long, and I parked my SUV, noting that despite it being the middle of the week, there were a fair amount of cars there. Farther down the beach, there were two women with a few young children playing in the sand, a couple in two different uniforms – one Air Force and the other, Army – and finally the sight we'd been looking for, though they weren't alone.

"Oh, hell," Emmett groaned, shaking his head. "Rose really can't go anywhere without this shit happening," he muttered, and from the look on his face, he didn't find it funny.

Our girls were all propped up on their elbows as three very young soldiers smiled down at them. One was holding a volleyball, and that one seemed to be showing Bella every bit of his fucking attention. Not that I blamed him because she was absolutely gorgeous lying there in two pieces of very small navy blue fabric.

Bella, however, looked a touch uncomfortable, like she was just trying to be nice, especially when the boys invited them to play.

When Rose declared herself married, Alice did, too, which didn't relieve any of the tension from Jasper and Emmett beside me, but it left poor Bella without an out. And suddenly, I had the undeniable urge to put a ring on that girl's finger, if only to show the fucking world that she was mine.

"What about you, Bella? I don't see a ring..." The one boy smiled. He was young and fucking stupid and wouldn't survive a minute with her, much less me, if he reached out and touched, which it looked like he was about to do because he knelt at her feet.

Walking closer, Emmett and Jasper followed me, most likely to stop me from doing something I might regret. My hands clenched into fists as I finally got close enough to speak.

"Not yet, but she's taken just the same," I said, trying my damnedest to keep my voice level. When the kid glanced up at me, his eyes widened. "Move along, soldier," I said, jerking my chin toward the other end of the beach.

The other two men stood at attention, smacking the one in front of Bella to get him to do the same. Normally, I would have them stand down, but I wasn't feeling so gracious, especially when Volleyball Boy kept sneaking peeks at my girl.

"Name and rank." I ordered, sneering at him.

"Private Shawn Dawson, sir," he barked back.

"And you?" Emmett asked the guy in front of Rose.

"Private Ryder Biggs," he replied instantly.

"Ryder..." I murmured, pulling out my new list of recruits, and chuckling darkly when a Shawn Dawson and Ryder Biggs were right there in black and white. "Let me guess... you boys just got in..."

"Sir," they all replied, the one in the middle looking nervous as hell.

"Right," I huffed, my nostrils flaring when Shawn's eyes betrayed him again. "Private Dawson, do you have a problem keeping your eyes straight ahead?" I barked.

"Sir. No, sir!"

"Good." I frowned, looking down at Bella, who was wearing an expression I couldn't quite read. "Now, you're interrupting my lunch time. Get your gear and move on. You'll be in my training class tomorrow, boys. I suggest you get rested up. Got me?"

All three men gave me a worried glance, Shawn actually groaning aloud as he shook his head slightly.

"Sir. Yes, sir," the all barked back.

"Dismissed," I snapped, waiting until he moved on.

"You, too," Emmett's hard voice echoed as he stared at the young man who was still drooling over Rose.

Jasper didn't say a word. The look he gave the young man who could barely take his eyes off Alice said it for him.

"Hey, Edward," Bella called, poking my leg through my fatigues. "You hungry? Or were you planning to eat new recruits for lunch?"

Rolling my eyes at the girls' laughter, I gazed down at her, my mood still damn dark.

"Come on, babe. Help me carry this to that table over there," she ordered with a sigh, standing up from her towel and pointing to the cooler as the guys helped their wives up.

I picked up the cooler and followed her to the table underneath the shade of a tree. She forced me down onto the bench, standing between my legs.

"You know... I was just about to send him away, Edward," she said softly. She didn't sound upset, but her face was still unreadable as she crossed her arms.

I nodded, frowning as I placed my hands on her waist to pull her closer. I knew I'd just behaved like a jealous asshole, all possessive and shit, but damn it! I'd just gotten her. Everything about my relationship with Bella was new, sharp, and different from anything I'd ever felt. The mere thought of losing her, of seeing someone looking at her the way that I looked at her, or even worse...touching her... It all brought out feelings that I'd never felt before. I was used to men looking at Tanya, and I didn't really care back then. This was so fucking different.

My eyes focused on the sweet skin of her belly, now a touch pink from the sun, my thumb dragging across the love bite that was barely peeking out of her bathing suit bottoms. She smelled like sunshine, coconut-scented suntan lotion, and just pure Bella. It was all I could do not to touch her everywhere.

"I know, love. I'm sorry," I said quietly, finally looking up at her. "Some of these men..."

"He was a _boy_, Edward," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "He barely looked old enough to join the Army."

"Fine, sweetheart... Some of these _boys_ don't know how to act around beautiful girls, Bella." My voice came across gruffer than I wanted it to. I had to chuckle when she raised an eyebrow up at me. "And apparently, I don't, either," I conceded, shrugging a shoulder. "Aw, love. I hated the way he was looking at you." I was whining, practically pouting like a kid.

Bella's laugh made me look up at her, and she leaned in to kiss my lips. "I don't want a boy, Sarge. I want a man, and I've got one. A damn _fine_ one, at that." Her tone came out as something close to a purr, and it was all I could do not to pull her to my lap.

I smirked up at her sexy-as-hell smile, feeling all the edginess of my mood drift away. "Fair enough, sweet girl."

"And just what was that 'not yet' stuff?" she asked, tilting her head at me.

"Not. Yet," I growled dramatically at her, forcing her arms apart by tugging on them. "I've said it before, love. You're it for me. I'm pretty sure I've made that clear in every email, phone call, Skype session...carrier pigeon..." I grinned when the last one made her giggle, but she pressed her forehead to mine.

"I love you," she whispered, cupping either side of my face and kissing me lightly.

"Love you, too, baby," I said, smiling when my hands skimmed over bathing suit, skin...and more beautiful skin. Just to tease her, I let my thumb dip below her bikini line just to trace my mark on her. Her beautiful wanton moan made me pull my hands away from her altogether.

"Edward," she laughed, pointing to the table. "Lunch...before I get myself in a whole lot of trouble in public."

I opened my mouth to say something about our discussion on exhibitionism, but she laughed, covering my lips with a single finger. "Don't you dare bring up elevators, Masen. Eat. Before my time with you runs out..."

Chuckling, I kissed her finger. "Yes, ma'am."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ah, Possessive-ward made an appearance. ;) Trust me, he pops up again in the future.**

**And holy hell! I love you girls on FB and my Coffee Girls on Twitter! You've pulled me out of a piss-poor mood this week more times than I can count. So huge hugs and kisses your way! :)**

**Now, I know you're all excited about Sarge and Bella's date, so with that being said... We'll see you tomorrow! ;D Mooches, Deb. :)**


	99. Chapter 99: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you for all the love. You guys seriously rock. All the negativity running through the fandom makes the support we get from our reviewers & our friends on the Sarge's Girls FB page that much more special and needed.**

**Now, I know you all are excited about the date, so let's get to it, hmm?**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 25, 2010 at 5:43 P.M.**

I was so damned excited about my date with Edward tonight, I could barely sit still. Alice was laughing because Rose kept grumbling about tying me down so she could finish my hair. I wasn't in my dress yet, just sitting in a new set of sexy black panties and strapless bra; since it zipped up the back, I could shimmy it on over my hips, rather than having to put it on over my head. When Edward had told me he was taking me out somewhere nice, I'd called an emergency shopping trip the day after the beach. The girls and I had found this stunning sequined dress in one of the stores at the same mall we'd been to a couple of days before. There were three rows of color—black on bottom, silver in the middle, and red on top—and each color carried on through the three-quarter length sleeves. It had a scoop neckline and only hit about mid-thigh, so it was sexy without being over-the-top.

"Are you sure I shouldn't wear jewelry with this?" I asked the girls again. Earlier, I'd brought up needing to borrow something of theirs, since I hadn't brought anything with me, and they had told me the dress was enough on its own.

"Bella," Alice said, huffing a little with her arms crossed, "just trust us, would you please? We know what we're talking about."

Laughing, I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender. "Fine. You win. You guys know best."

"Okay, sweetie. Take a look." Rose moved out of the way so I could see myself in the reflection of the bathroom's mirror.

Even without the dress on, I could tell Rose had done a fabulous job with my hair, and as always, Alice was a genius with my make up. My eyes were lined on top and bottom in black, but softened by smudging over it with her thumb. Then she'd added enough color to the lids, my cheeks, and my lips without making me look like it was caked on. Rose had curled my hair with her biggest curling iron and then combed through it with a giant toothed comb of some sort, making it falling in crazy, loose, sexy waves.

Apparently they could tell I was about to tear up when I turned to face them because they both shouted, "No tears! You'll ruin your make up!"

I giggled as I shook my head. "Okay, okay. No tears. Thank you both. Really." Waving my hand quickly in front of my eyes to hold off any crying, I sighed. "Just...thank you."

"Now, let's get you into that dress," Alice told me, grinning. "Edward said six o'clock on the dot."

I let them lead me into the bedroom. Rose grabbed the dress, which was hanging on the front of the closet, while Alice opened the box from another one of the stores in the mall. I'd been worried about the heels, but they had insisted I would be fine, even if Edward and I went dancing after dinner. I didn't know if that was his plan or not, but I wanted to be sure I wouldn't fall over and embarrass myself or him if that was the case.

Once completely dressed, I smoothed out the hem, straightened my sleeves, and turned to my girls. "How do I look?"

"Ready for a night out on the town," Rose said, smiling confidently.

Alice nodded. "You look great, Bells. Now go." She shooed me to the door with her hands, looking like she was brushing away flies. "It's just now six, so you're right on time."

I gave them each a hug, grabbed the little silver clutch I'd borrowed from Alice that already contained my phone and everything else I might need for the night, and then walked from the room.

When I entered the living room, Emmett and Jasper whistled, grinning.

"You look great, Bellsy," Emmett said, shooting me a wink.

"You do, darlin'," Jasper agreed. "Edward's a lucky man tonight."

The man in question stood up from his seat on the recliner, his eyes glued to me and looking so fucking handsome, it nearly took my breath away. His suit was a dark navy blue, damn near black, with a white dress shirt and matching tie. He hadn't shaved since this morning, so he was a little bit scruffy – just like I liked him – and his hair had grown out enough that the top was a little wild and messy. I wanted to just about eat him up. Edward in jeans and a casual top was sexy. Edward all dressed up in a suit and tie was indescribable.

"God, Bella," he huffed, shaking his head as he walked slowly to me where I'd paused in the doorway. "You look stunning. You are so damn beautiful."

After straightening his tie, I cupped his face and kissed him, careful not to smear my lipstick. "And I'm going to be the envy of every woman out there tonight, Sarge."

He started to lean in to kiss me again, but Alice's throat clearing from behind me stopped him in his tracks.

"Make up, Edward. You ruin it, I'll have to hurt you," she teased.

Taking a step back, he grinned. "Sorry, Alice." He reached into his front pocket and pulled out two small boxes. "Would you do me the honor of accepting these and wearing them tonight, beautiful?"

When he flipped the lid of the first box, I saw a gorgeous sterling silver bracelet with a toggle clasp and heart-shaped charm on the end. In the second box was a pair of silver teardrop earrings with a small diamond in the center of each. They were just as beautiful as the bracelet.

Looking back at Alice and Rose, I gave them a teasing glare. "This is why you didn't want me wearing anything else, isn't it?" At their winks, I turned back to Edward. "I would be honored, babe. It's too much, but I will treasure them. They are beautiful."

As he fastened the bracelet around my left wrist, he shook his head. "They are just accents to help show off the woman wearing them, love."

I swallowed back the sudden lump in my throat and took the earrings from him, slipping them into my ears before taking a deep, calming breath. If I wasn't careful, I'd burst into tears of happiness and ruin all of my girls' hard work.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Edward offered me his arm, which I gladly accepted.

"Don't wait up," I teased the others as he led me out the front door into the sultry night air.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: He's too sweet, isn't he? There are pics of the jewelry, Bella's dress, & Edward's suit on Deb's blog, my site, & FB. Check our profile for links. :)**

**Leave some date love (which sounds gross, but I assure you...ok, no, it is. ;) ), and then go check out the rest of the date. – Jenny**


	100. Chapter 100: Edward

**A/N #1: I know that you guys have been looking forward to this date, so I'll let you get on with it. See me at the bottom, and I'll explain just where they are, because the places are real.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 25, 2010 at 7:32 P.M.**

"Sir, your table in the Dessert Room is ready," the older gentleman stated with a smile toward Bella.

The place I'd decided to bring Bella to was loaded with local history, not to mention a high standard. The place was rich with tradition, even all the way down to its staff. It's not that I cared about all the pomp and circumstance that went with the place, but I really just wanted to spoil my girl. And despite her protestations to the contrary, this was the first time I'd had a chance to do that, which had started with the jewelry I couldn't help but get her.

We'd been sitting in a room paneled by dark, rich woods, lit by candlelight, and waited on hand and foot, but really, we'd ignored all of it, because we just talked – non-stop – and laughed...a lot. Bella had told stories about the kids she'd taught, her dad, and Seattle, and I'd talked about my parents, about growing up in Chicago, and shit that happened during my basic training. I would've thought with as much writing and talking that we'd done since the beginning, we'd know everything about each other, but it just wasn't the case. Or maybe it was just a need to know more...always more.

As we were led into the other room, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. She was stunning, absolutely flawless – from her hair, to her dress, down to her shoes, which did things to her legs I could barely describe. More than one male head turned in her direction as we passed through other dining rooms – and a few women, if I were to be honest. The waitstaff was just about falling over themselves to help her. It made me smile with an obscene amount of pride that it was me she was with – a completely different feeling than what I'd felt with the asshole on the beach. He'd looked at her like he wanted to eat her, which he'd paid for dearly his first training day.

"Babe, I don't know if I can eat another bite." Bella giggled once we were seated side by side. She glanced around the table, which technically was its own little closed-off room. "But thank you for all of this," she said, waving a hand around.

Chuckling, I picked up that same hand, kissing the back of it. "I wasn't going to eat anymore, either, but I thought...a cognac and a cappuccino wouldn't hurt," I suggested, ordering it when our new waiter made his appearance. I needed the latter if I was to continue to drive, because I'd already had a few glasses of wine with dinner. "You're welcome, though. But I'm not through with you yet, sweet girl."

The table's closed-off walls gave the illusion of privacy, so I took the opportunity to kiss her once our drinks were delivered. Brushing her hair off her shoulder, I caressed her neck with one hand, while the other one couldn't stay away from her beautiful legs. It was a slow, lazy kiss that we took nowhere. It was relaxed and familiar, like we'd been kissing our whole lives instead of just one damn week. That last thought caused my heart to sputter, because that only left another week before I lost her for three fucking months.

Pulling back just a little, I kissed her forehead as her fingers trailed along my jaw line. "Are you up for dancing?" I asked her, grinning at her sweet, soft laugh.

"Yeah," she finally answered, taking a sip of my coffee. "Definitely."

~oooOOOooo~

By the time I parked the car downtown, I was already ravenous for Bella. I wasn't sure how much grinding and dancing I could take, but I was going to give it a shot. In all reality, I wanted to find a deep, dark shadow, park the SUV, and pull that girl into my lap, but I couldn't do that to her.

"Stay there," I told her softly, and I shut off the car and got out, walking to her side.

Turning her to the side to face me, I stepped between her legs, which kept her blocked from the street's view. Bella smiled, reaching up to tug me by my tie.

"Take it off; I won't need it here...but I do really need to fucking kiss you," I told her, shrugging out of my suit jacket and unbuttoning the top few buttons of my shirt once she slid the tie from around my neck.

Both items were tossed somewhere into the car, but we were back on each other instantly. One of my hands slipped into her hair, while the other slipped up her leg and under her dress. Bella's legs wrapped around me, bringing me flush to her and causing me to grind one long, slow time, just to hear that sweet gasp against my mouth.

However, I froze when my hand met lace and silk. Pulling back, I glanced down at her. "What are these?" I asked, fingering the edge of her panties.

"Pant... Oh!" She laughed, her head falling back. "I forgot, Edward! The dress was so short, and the girls dressed me..."

"You're in so much trouble, Isabella," I told her, lowering my lips to her ear, nipping and licking at her skin as I slipped my other hand up her dress. Grasping the edge of her underwear, I slid them slowly off of her, pocketing them instantly. I barely caught a glimpse of black and lace, and I could feel that they were already damp. "Wet already, sweetheart?"

"Yes," she breathed, gazing up at me through long eyelashes. Her make-up gave her a look of pure sex, of desire and uninhibited need.

"I told you no panties tonight," I crooned in her ear. "Now...none all weekend."

My girl laughed, but it was sultry and sexy. "Whatever you say...Sarge."

My mouth crashed back into hers, my fingers exploring her now bare sex, teasing and touching but never really giving her what she wanted. I wanted her wet and swollen when we danced. I wanted her to hold back everything until I could drink from her. And I was willing to bet we wouldn't make it home before I pulled at least one good orgasm from her.

Her hips started to meet my rhythm, and that's when I finally pulled away, pressing my forehead to hers. "Come dance with me," I said, but it really was a request. Had she said no, that she wanted me right then, I wasn't going to argue, but she slid gracefully down to the sidewalk, taking my hand in hers once I'd rolled up the sleeves of my shirt.

The club was a constant thrum of sultry beats, writhing bodies, and flickering lights. I guided Bella to the middle of the dance floor, losing ourselves in the middle of the sea of bodies. Some were coupled off, some were more than two, but I could barely take my eyes off of the girl whose back was pressed to my front as we swayed to Rihanna's "S and M."

Sweeping the hair off of her neck and keeping a hand flat against her stomach, I held her to me. I dropped long, slow, wet kisses down her neck, knowing that I was playing with fire because that turned my girl on to no end.

We danced to a few more songs, had one drink, and were back out onto the floor. This time, it was Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" that had me gliding my leg between hers, pulling her closer, not only to hide my erection but to seek some sort of friction. I had a feeling we weren't going to last long. Gripping her hair, I tilted her head back, much like the first night we met face to face, to tease the soft skin just below her ear with my lips, tongue, teeth. The sounds that I felt more than heard from her only spurred me on that much more. But when my fingers slipped stealthily up her dress to find her utterly saturated, I groaned, my forehead falling to her shoulder.

"Christ, love," I moaned in her ear, grinding her up my thigh just to bring her closer. "Fuck, Bella... We've got to go..."

"Please, babe," she whimpered, nuzzling my jaw. "But I need the restroom first..."

I nodded, peeling myself off of her and taking her hand. I led her to the hallway where the restrooms were, leaning against the wall to wait for her. My head fell back to the wall as I tried to get myself under control, but it all fell apart when she reemerged in front of me. Grateful no one was paying us any attention, I spun her, pressing her into the wall.

"God, sweet girl, I want you so badly," I whispered against her neck, taking advantage of the wall that was blocking us and slipping my hand up her dress in order to caress her perfect ass. Teasing every entrance, reveling in the wetness that coated my fingers, I told her, "I want to fuck you six ways from Sunday, Isabella."

"Damn it, Edward. Get us out of here," she begged, grabbing either side of my face and forcing my gaze to hers. "Please..."

Swallowing thickly, I nodded, stepping away from her, but offered her my hand. "Let's get the fuck out of here, baby."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Okay so I know you want to move on, but just FYI, that restaurant is Bern's Steak House in Tampa. You can Google it, but I posted pics on my blog, FB, and Jenny's site of the dining room and the dessert room. It's extremely good, but it's high end dining. The place has been around for ages, and the waitstaff literally train for years. Insane, but I thought it fit here.**

**The dancing part was Ybor City (pronounced E-Boar)...It's club upon club, so it really doesn't matter which one, just not heavy metal or country, obviously. ;)**

**Okay, there's more to the date, so go on. Yes, it's a four-chapter day. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	101. Chapter 101: Bella

**A/N #1: Do you think they'll make it home? Eek. LOL Let's see & find out. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, June 25, 2010 at 10:47 P.M.**

As Edward led me out of the club, his arm strong and sure around my waist, I was nearly vibrating with need. Dinner itself had been perfectly romantic and sweet – and so needed. But after... We had worked ourselves up to a frenzy after that, beginning with the kissing and touching during dessert, all the way through what had come damn close to him giving me an orgasm right there in the middle of the dance floor. By the time I came out of the bathroom and Edward had pinned me against the wall, I'm not sure it would have even taken his touch. His smooth, sexy voice with a few sweet words whispered huskily in my ear would have done the trick.

Edward's hand on my waist squeezed me closer as we made our way to the SUV. Before he could open the door, though, I spun around so my back was to the car and then pulled him closer to me. I needed to feel his lips on mine, and I couldn't wait until we got back to his house for it.

"Kiss me," I pleaded, threading my fingers into his short locks. "Please, ki—"

Edward wasted no time, capturing my lips with his as his hands moved to press me tighter against him. His lips were firm and warm, suckling first my top and then my bottom lip, tasting them, teasing, nipping, and caressing every part of my mouth with his tongue. I could feel the stubble on his cheeks, the wiry hair on his arms against mine as he pressed me back against the car, and it still wasn't enough.

Feeling like a wanton hussy, I broke the kiss and gasped, "Touch me. Oh, God, please, I need more."

I knew we should wait until we got home, but I needed to come so badly, I ached for it.

Edward must have known that because as his mouth crashed down to mine again, he slid a hand down my side, all the way to my knee, and then he hitched my leg up, holding me open for him to press his straining cock against me through his pants. I had a fleeting thought that the dry cleaner would have to get the evidence of my arousal out of the front of Edward's pants, but the moment he thrust against me, everything else but that singular moment fled from my mind.

As he continued to fuck me through his clothes, his mouth opened at my neck. Edward sucked at my pulse point, marking me where everyone would see.

When he pulled back, the glow from the lights of the parking lot were just bright enough for me to make out his features. "Do you want to come, Isabella?" he growled softly. At my fervent nod and quiet whine, he thrust his hips harder. "Then do it, love. Let me hear you."

Edward latched himself back to my throat, his teeth taking stinging bites of the tender skin, soothing them with his tongue, and when he slammed hard into the cradle of my thighs, I came. There was no more warning, nothing leading up to it, but his movements yanked me off the side of the cliff and gave me no choice but to bite my lip so as to not scream his name as I flew into the abyss.

"Fuck!" Edward hissed, and from where he was pressed into me, I could feel his cock jerk in his pants, so close to coming himself.

Tugging his head back up to my lips, I swallowed the heavy breaths as he tried to get himself under control.

"Oh, Isabella," he huffed. "You are too damn tempting for your own good. Get in the car before I take you right here in the parking lot."

I started to tease him that I would be perfectly happy with that, but one look at his face told me he had reached his breaking point, and even I knew he wouldn't be happy if we had sex out in the open. What we'd done was already too much for public eyes, and we'd been lucky there'd been no other people coming and going as he'd brought me to orgasm.

Nodding silently, I kissed him once more before lowering my leg from his waist and turning on shaking legs to climb into the SUV.

As soon as Edward closed the door behind me, he stalked around the front of the SUV and climbed into the driver's seat. He looked all kinds of hot and sexy, frustrated, and so fucking on edge as he pulled out of the parking lot that I had to squeeze my thighs tighter and bite my lip to hold back the moan that threatened to escape.

I knew the drive was close to half an hour from the restaurant to his house, and I wasn't sure how I would survive. When he reached down to adjust himself for the third time in five minutes, I wasn't sure how _he_ would survive, either. And just the sight of the heel of his hand pressing hard against his cock through his pants made my breathing pick up. I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to feel him.

Reaching over, I curled my fingers around his length, feeling the soft but scratchy fabric under my palm. His groan as I began to stroke him would have told me how good it felt, even if the twitching of his erection hadn't done that already. He was so long and hard, and I could feel the spongy head as my hand slid to the top. Running my fingernails across the fabric had his hips arching off the seat and a curse falling from his lips.

"Bella, love... Fuck! I won't make it home without exploding if you keep doing that," he told me, his voice low and so growly, I had the image of him suddenly bursting into a wolfman.

As I watched his chest rise and fall with his labored breaths, his hips pistoning up as if he couldn't help himself, and the white of his knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel tightly, it all became too much again, and I started stroking him, unable to stop myself. Down to the base, sliding my fingers around to cup his balls and squeeze gently, and then up to the tip, where my fingers searched out the outline of his mushroom head, all before starting the process all over again.

I was so focused on his body and his reactions that when he suddenly turned the SUV off the road, it surprised me enough that I let him go.

"Oh no, Isabella," he huffed. "You can't stop now..."

"Where are we?" I asked, not bothering to look around as my hand began its movements once more.

"Some side road. I pulled off into a small group of trees."

Finally looking around, I saw that I could still see the road, but when he reached down and moved his seat back, I found that I wouldn't have cared if we'd been in the middle of a busy shopping mall's parking lot or on display at a car show. I needed him, and if he was willing to let me have him now, I wasn't going to argue.

"Come here," Edward commanded softly. The growl was still there in his voice, but love was completely mixed in with the need, and I was powerless to resist.

Hiking my short dress up, I clambered over the center console as Edward unbuttoned his suit pants and pulled down the zipper. The head of his cock was sticking out from the waist of his boxer-briefs, and just before I straddled his thighs, he jerked the elastic down and freed his erection. It bobbed, slapping against his skin when he pulled his shirt up and out of the way.

"Fuck me, that's hot," I growled, planting myself on his lap.

I leaned in and kissed him as my hand moved between us to stroke him, swiping at the precum that was liberally coating the head of his cock now.

One of Edward's hands reached between us and found my lower lips, sliding between them as his other hand tangled in the curls at the base of my neck, tilting my head so he could take control of the kiss. As he finally pushed two fingers inside me, he tugged sharply at my hair, baring my neck to his lips.

"Come again for me, Isabella," he said in that commanding tone of voice that prevented me from doing anything but what he'd ordered.

When he curled his fingers and bit down on the juncture of my neck and shoulder, I shattered, not bothering to hold back my cry as his name came spilling from my lips.

Before I could catch my breath, he removed his fingers from my hair and between my legs and used his hands to lift me over him. Tugging me forward so I fell against his chest, Edward moved one hand to guide his cock as I slid down over him.

"Oh, God," I moaned, dropping my forehead to his. His answering groan told me he was feeling as overwhelmed as I was.

"Move over me, sweetheart," he huffed, his hands sliding up my side and around to cup my breasts. "Ride me."

I'd only been on top once before, and that wasn't long after I got here in Florida, but the way Edward was looking at me, his face in shadows and visible only by the moonlight streaming in through the window of the SUV, I knew I didn't have anything to be nervous about.

I began to rock my hips, feeling his cock stretching me, filling me completely. Once I was comfortable, I realized I needed more. Using my knees on the edges of his seat, I lifted up and slid back down, just like I'd done in his bedroom only a few nights before. It felt amazing, feeling like I was in control over both of our pleasure.

After several minutes, though, Edward decided it was time for him to take some of that control back. He began pistoning his hips up and down, meeting me thrust for thrust. I had to slam my hands up to the roof of the SUV so I had some leverage. With one hand on my hip, guiding my movements, Edward slid his other hand around to palm my ass. He squeezed the cheek, smacking it gently—not even enough to sting—before squeezing it again. Leaning forward, he captured a nipple between his lips, sucking for a moment before tugging it with his teeth.

I clenched around him, pleasure rippling through me, and he released my nipple, his head flying back to the headrest in response. When his hands moved to my clit and the cleft between my cheeks, stroking me in time with our movements, I knew I wasn't going to last long.

I'd never had my backside played with during sex before. Rose loved anal play, but Alice hated it, so I had never really had an idea of whether or not I'd enjoy it. But when Edward brushed his finger across my puckered hole, putting just the slightest amount of pressure there at the same time as the fingers of his other hand flicked my clit, I knew it was something we would have to explore further at some point in the future. He did it again, pressing just slightly harder this time, and I felt the tight ring of muscles clench around the pad of his finger.

That was all it took. I thrust my hips down on him, unable to cry out or catch my breath as my orgasm slammed into me.

Mine triggered his, and suddenly, Edward cried out, and I felt him pulse inside me, over and over again, as he came.

With a breathless whimper, I collapsed to his chest, the now sore muscles in my arms and legs protesting the movement. "I l-love you," I gasped against his shirt, which was damp from the sweat of his exertion.

His "I love you, too, my sexy girl" came out just as breathy and exhausted as mine had, and his arms tightened around me as we both just sat there, unable—and unwilling—to move for what felt like hours.

Finally, Edward glanced at the clock on the dash and groaned. "We need to go before we get caught."

Giggling, I looked up traced the sharp line of his jaw. "It's not exactly public, but it'll do for now," I teased, escaping his tickling fingers as I carefully made my way back across the console, knowing I was going to make a mess of the seat, but not caring a single bit.

When we finally pulled up to the house, Edward grabbed his jacket and tie before coming around to my door. He stopped me before I could get out of the car. "Thank you for tonight, sweetheart."

I smiled, cupping his face. "Dinner was perfect, and dancing and dessert were amazing," I told him honestly. "Thank you for the jewelry"—I held up my wrist—"and for giving me a wonderful night out."

He kissed me softly, his lips just barely caressing mine, and then sighed. "Let's go inside."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So...yeah, the didn't make it home. LOL Would YOU have? ;)**

**Ok, let me know what you thought before heading on to the last chapter of the day, wouldja please? :) – Jenny**


	102. Chapter 102: Edward

**A/N #1: I'm sure you're sweating, but this should calm you down a bit. Just some fun with the whole gang and an important talk between Sarge and his Bella. This is another one of my favorite chapters.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 8:34 A.M.**

"Where's Edward?" Jasper asked as Bella set a plate of pancakes in front of him at the same time I opened the front door quietly.

"He had to run an errand this morning," she told them, keeping her face perfectly void of all expression because no one needed to know that I'd gone to go get the SUV detailed, especially considering it was my car we'd end up taking today.

"He said he'd be back soon," she said hurriedly when Emmett opened his mouth to complain. "Once he's eaten, we'll go. I promise."

I had to smile because she talked to them like they were children at the same time that she cared for them, fed them, ruffled their hair. No wonder they adored her like a little sister.

She looked just as beautiful this morning as she had the night before, only this time, she was casual – dressed in sweet, small khaki shorts and a bluish-green tank top, her hair swept up into a long ponytail. A split second of disappointment constricted my chest when I saw that she'd covered up my mark on her neck with makeup, but I supposed that it was for the best. I'm sure we'd never have heard the end of it.

I closed the door, causing them all to turn around.

"There he is," Bella said, beaming and giving me a wink, only to turn to Emmett. "See? I told you. Stop acting like it's the end of the world. We'll get to the damn zoo. Your women aren't even ready yet."

"Yeah, but..." Emmett started, but he shut the fuck up when she raised a deadly eyebrow up at him.

Chuckling, I took a seat beside Jasper at the kitchen counter, kissing Bella when a hot cup of black coffee and a plate full of pancakes and sausage landed in front of me.

"Thanks, love," I snickered, leaning in to her kiss to my cheek.

"It's too early for PDA," Emmett muttered, laughing when Bella flipped him off.

"Maybe...it's too early for my cooking. Hmm?" she said in an overly sweet voice, which caused him to pull his plate closer in a protective manner. "And _maybe_ you're being a hypocrite. Need I remind you of the time you and Rose got us kicked out of IHOP? Huh?" She spun to face me. "They practically dry-humped each other to death in a booth at four o'clock in the morning."

I laughed, as did Jasper, who said, "Oh yeah... I remember that."

"Don't be jealous," Rose scoffed with a laugh when she and Alice emerged from the hall, dressed similarly to Bella.

"Jealous? I was drunk and starving," Bella laughed, rolling her eyes.

"So not jealous," Alice giggled. "It was like watching a National Geographic episode on monkeys mating."

That cracked the whole house up into hysterics, including the couple in question because neither took offense.

Once everyone had eaten and the kitchen was clean – thanks to me and Alice – I found Bella in my room putting on her sneakers.

"How bad was the car?" she giggled, her cheeks tinging pink.

I laughed, raising an eyebrow at her as I sat down to put my own sneakers on. "Pretty bad, sweet girl," I told her, grinning like the proud ass that I was. She came to stand between my legs, and I couldn't help but kiss the spot on her neck where my mark was very well hidden. "It smelled delicious in there, though," I crooned, tracing the edge of her ear with my nose. "Like the two of us. I hated to clean it, really," I told her, keeping my voice low as my hands traveled down her sides to her sweet bare legs. "It made me hard just in the five-minute drive it took to get there."

Bella laughed, though it was soft, sexy, and a touch naughty. "You tipped the guy extra, didn't you?"

"Yeah, totally," I chuckled with a single nod. "Come on, love. Let's go play," I said, patting her thighs lightly, only to skim up to the edge of her shorts just to make sure she was following my request.

She gripped my hands, giggling. "No, Edward. I'm not wearing any, but that means you can't ruin my shorts, either!"

Grinning up at her shamelessly, I shrugged. "I can try."

"No!" she huffed dramatically, pulling at my hands until I finally stood up. "Come on."

"Fine," I conceded, standing up in front of her. "I can't wait for Emmett to piss you off. Maybe you'll throw him in with the lions or some shit."

~oooOOOooo~

I glanced up from the bench I was sitting on when I heard the girls squeal. I had to laugh, because all three of them, plus Emmett, were covered in these brightly colored parrot-like birds that were drinking something out of the tiny cups they were holding. The sight only made Emmett look all the bigger and the girls look just too cute for words.

"You know, this is like a level of Angry Birds!" Emmett boomed, reaching for one of the little guys, and I could've sworn that the bird's eyes widened in fear.

"Em, don't you dare!" we all yelled at him, which caused a few to fly off to the next human with a cup of nectar.

He laughed, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "I wouldn't have done it!" he argued with a chuckle. "Besides, there are no little green pigs around that need killin'."

"Unbelievable," Jasper murmured, showing up with more little cups.

I looked down at my leg when one of the birds landed on my knee. "You picked the wrong guy, little man...or woman. Damn, how can you tell?" I asked him as he tilted his blue and red curious head at me. "I don't have anything for you."

"Here, babe," Bella giggled, holding out a cup so he could drink and sitting gently down beside me.

"What's next, beautiful girl?" I asked, kissing her sun-kissed bare shoulder, not that I cared one bit, because the whole day had been amazing and relaxing, with no agenda whatsoever.

We'd all laughed, played, and basically annoyed everyone else in the damn zoo. And we didn't care. Jasper had made friends with an orangutan, who'd tossed a burlap sack up to him, only for him to throw it back. The girls had hated the snake exhibit, but we'd all loved the big cats. There was such power and royalty in their glares, their paces, and their low, growling chuffs at us.

"Flume!" Rose and Alice suggested from across the way.

"Uh...no," Bella said with a finality to her voice. "Have you seen those people coming off that thing? They're soaked. Not a chance."

"But it's hot!" Alice whined.

"Then ride it," Bella whined back mockingly, turning to me. "Um, not happening. No underwear..._and_ my makeup won't survive it," she chuckled in a whisper, gesturing to her neck.

There was a part of me that should've been ashamed about that, but I could only laugh at her.

"Shut it, ass," she laughed, shoving at me, which caused the bird on my leg to fly off.

"Look. You scared away my little friend," I chided at her, rolling my eyes and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, love. They can get all wet and shit. I need ice cream."

"Bottomless pit," she giggled, standing up and tugging me with her.

The line for the flume was endless, but Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rose all insisted on waiting for it. So Bella and I sat off to the side, sharing an ice cream cone. She sat sideways on the bench, her legs draped across mine.

God, it was so damned comfortable with her. It had been instant, and I couldn't help but revel in how lucky I was. The chemistry, the ease of just...us was perfect. It had merely started with a letter. The fact that she would be leaving in a week made me pull her legs closer, gliding my fingers around her bent knees as she people-watched with a funny little smile on her face.

Reaching out, I played with her ponytail, wrapping it around my hand over and over.

"Ever wonder what people's stories are?" she asked softly, giving the ice cream a lick, only to hand it back to me. "I mean...like the man and woman over at the fence. How long do you think they've been together?"

I smiled, glancing over at the couple she was talking about. If I'd had to guess, I would've said they were in their sixties or seventies – most likely the latter. I shrugged, nibbling at the cone.

"Maybe always," I guessed. "Or maybe this is a new start. Perhaps they're both widowed or divorced."

"Maybe," she mused, laying her head on my shoulder and fingering the hem of my T-shirt. "Twenty Questions, Edward," she said softly, not bothering to look up.

I kissed the top of her head, chuckling a bit. "You mean we haven't run out of questions?" I countered, dropping another kiss to her hair, which smelled like pure sunshine after being in it all day.

"No," she giggled, poking at my stomach playfully.

"Hit me."

She lifted her head, looking me in the eye. "Did you expect..._this_?" she asked, motioning between us. "When we first started... Did you think we'd be..." She dragged out the last word, like she was trying to find the right way to end the question, but I knew what she meant.

"Nope," I said, kissing her lips quickly. "I didn't know what to expect, but this never occurred to me. This is...everything and more, sweetheart. I didn't know it could be like this, much less with someone I'd never met face to face. And then, I _saw_ you, and..." I swallowed thickly, shaking my head and sighing deeply. "No. No, I didn't expect this," I stated. "It's everything and then some. You are more than I ever thought to dream about, ever even knew could exist, and I love you more now than ever." I shrugged a shoulder, not knowing any other way to put it. My love for her was huge – enormous, really – but so very fucking simple.

She kissed my lips, pulling back to gaze at me, her eyes a touch watery. "I love you, too, babe." She grimaced a bit, her nose wrinkling adorably. "This week's gonna fly, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I groaned, throwing the remains of the ice cream into the garbage next to me and pulling her sideways onto my lap so I could hold her tightly with both arms. "I promise you, my love, that we'll make every second count. I refuse to take this birthday gift for granted since it was the best one I've ever gotten. Every spare moment of mine is yours. Then we have to fight just a few months...less than a hundred days. And Bella... I'm coming home to you. Understand?"

She nodded, grasping either side of my face. "Yes," she breathed against my lips.

Pressing my forehead to hers, I said, "You know the rules, Bella. Answer your own question."

She giggled softly. "Um...no. Not at all. You're not the only one that got a gift, Sarge. But I also can't wait until you come home to me."

I grinned, patting the side of her leg. "Good. Me, either, sweet girl...me, either."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: The zoo was Lowry Park Zoo, and the birds were Lorikeets. They are shameless little things that you can feed little cups of nectar to. I prefer that zoo to just about anywhere else. They do a lot of rescue work. There's a pic of the pretty bird on my blog, Jenny's site, & FB. As always, links are on our profile. :)**

**I'm sure you guys liked the surprise double posting, but we just couldn't see splitting up the date. There will be another soon. Promise.**

**For those of you that spread the love and joy of this fic, I salute you. Seriously. For those that hide behind anonymous reviews and vague FB statuses and Tweets... Well, this is supposed to be fun and fiction and sweet and fluffy and campy and sexy. The majority of the people that read it, GET IT. If you want angst, there are plenty of talented writers out there right now torturing Edward and Bella to death. Follow the river of tears; I'm sure you'll find a few recs floating around. If you can't, then come see me...I'll give you a few links. But you won't find angst or heavy plot twists here. Not this story. In fact, come on into Sarge's Girls on FB. We rec all sorts of fics over there. Mmm'kay?**

**Okay, that being said, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Same bat time, same bat channel. ;) Mooches, Deb. :)**


	103. Chapter 103: Bella

**A/N #1: Can I just say I love that most of you are as pervy as Deb & I are? ;) You all seemed to love the entire date. And yeah, the car sex was hot, but wasn't Deb's chapter at the zoo just too damn adorable? LOL It's one of our favorite chapters. Now, let's see what they are up to the next day. :)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 4:16 P.M.**

"Oh shit!" I gasped, sitting up from my spot on the couch, where I'd been resting my head in Edward's lap as we watched a movie.

"What's wrong?" Edward looked worried and confused as did the others, who were scattered around the living room to watch with us.

"I just realized I promised to call Charlie yesterday, and with our trip to the zoo"—not to mention the time with Edward after in the bedroom—"I just forgot." I'd called him right after we got to Tampa, and he'd asked me to call in a week, just to check in. _I was, after all, in a strange city with a strange man,_ I thought with a snort.

Edward reached over and grabbed my cell phone from the table beside the couch, handing it to me.

Hitting speed dial four, I spun around on the couch and lifted my feet to Edward's lap, wiggling my painted toenails at him. He winked and began rubbing the top of my feet softly as I waited for Charlie to pick up.

"_'Lo?"_ My dad's gruff voice made me grin. The man hated talking on the phone, and it showed.

"Hi, Dad. Sorry I didn't call yesterday. We went to the zoo, and time got away from me." I rolled my eyes at Edward's naughty expression, grinning.

"_Hey, Bells. Glad you called. I was getting ready to call an old Army buddy of mine there in Tampa to check on you."_

Laughing, yet deadly serious – 'cause I knew my father – I told him, "You wouldn't dare. You know how I'd react to that."

Edward and the rest of the group were looking at me curiously, eyebrows raised in question. I waved them off to let them know it was no big deal.

Charlie laughed softly. _"No, I don't suppose you'd react well to that. So how's it going, kid? That boy treating you well?"_

I smiled as I looked at Edward, who was switching between watching my face and looking at my legs as his hand moved up and down between my feet and the hem of my shorts. "Yeah, Dad, he is. Edward's great. It's...better than I ever dreamed it might be, actually."

That earned me a shy smile from my sexy man at the other end of the couch.

Clearing his throat, Charlie finally sighed. _"Good. I just want you to be happy, Bells. If __this Edward guy makes you happy, that's what matters."_

My dad and I had grown close after I'd moved in with him, but neither of us had ever been particularly demonstrative about our emotions, so his admission was just a damn sweet thing.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and said softly, "Thanks, Daddy."

When he finally spoke again after a moment of semi-uncomfortable silence, his voice was back to the even, dry tone he so often had. _"How are my other girls doing? And what about those boys of theirs?"_

Grinning, I said, "Hold on, Dad. I'll put you on speaker so they can all say hello."

Clicking the little button, I held up the phone and looked to my friends. "Say hello to Charlie, guys."

"Charlie!" Alice and Rose squealed. They adored my father. He'd become like a second father to Alice when we became friends, and then in college, the first time I'd brought Rose home, she had charmed him by fixing an annoying problem on his squad car that their guys hadn't had time to fix yet. He'd all but adopted her since her parents weren't around anymore.

"Yo, Charlie," Emmett boomed, his grin nearly splitting his face in two. "Caught anything good lately?" He was Charlie's fishing buddy, which seemed incongruous with his loud, boisterous personality, but it had been that way from the start.

Jasper's much quieter, "Hello, Charlie," spoke volumes of Jasper's respect for my father. The two of them loved to sit and chat. They could talk for hours about history. Military history was their favorite, of course.

Charlie laughed, relaxing a little. _"Hi, gang. Everyone having a good visit?"_

I stayed quiet as Alice and Rose began talking over each other, telling him about our trip so far.

My dad made appropriate noises as he listened, showing he was paying attention. When the girls finally ran out of steam, he said, _"Sounds like you're having a good visit, then. __Boys, it was good to hear you made it home safe. You glad to be in Tampa?"_

"Hells, yeah," Emmett answered first. "Sunshine, the ocean, and the only sand to be had is on the beaches. Not to mention the pretty girls in bikinis."

Rose reached up and smacked the back of his head, rolling her eyes.

Jasper chuckled at the pair and then told my dad, "It's nice, but I think we'd all rather be home."

"That's for damn sure," Edward mumbled, squeezing my knee gently.

"_Yes,"_ Charlie agreed, sounding thoughtful. _"I remember having that same feeling."_

There was a moment of quiet, before Edward took a deep breath, blew it out silently, and then said, "Uh, hello, Chief Swan. It's nice to finally speak with you. Bella's told me a lot about you."

"_Sergeant Masen,"_ Charlie said, his tone once again reserved. _"Could I speak with you in private, son?"_

"Dad!" I hissed, not wanting him to make Edward feel uncomfortable or unwelcome.

"It's okay, Bella," Edward murmured, even as I was shaking my head. "Calm down, sweet girl."

"_Isabella Marie..."_ Charlie's voice was no nonsense now, a tone I hadn't heard in quite a while. _"Let me handle this. I'm your father. I have every right to question a man my daughter is seeing – especially if she met him over the internet and just saw him in person for the first time a week ago."_

I was whining when I argued, "We met over letters, not the internet, Dad. And you know he's a good guy. Jasper and Emmett told you that!"

"_It's still my prerogative,"_ he told me, sounding like he was scolding a toddler. _"Now give him the phone, please."_

Sighing, I handed Edward my cell phone, mouthing, "Sorry!" as he took it from me and slid out from under my feet.

He just winked and clicked off the speaker, moving the phone to his ear as he headed back to the bedroom. I could hear his quiet voice as he spoke to my father once he'd turned the corner into the hall.

~oooOOOooo~

The first five minutes after Edward walked back to talk to Charlie flew by. I went back and forth from talking with the group to watching the doorway to the living room, hoping everything would be okay.

The next five slowed down considerably. I could hear the conversation around me, but I tuned them out, focusing all my attention on the spot where Edward had disappeared from my view.

When nearly fifteen minutes had passed, my knee was bouncing as I tapped my heel on the floor in front of me, and I was damn close to actually wringing my hands.

"What in the hell is taking so long?" I hissed, interrupting whatever story the guys were telling Alice and Rose.

Emmett laughed. "Bellsy, you gotta chill. You remember what Charlie was like the first time Rose brought me with her when you guys went to visit. And you're his daughter."

I looked back to them and sighed.

"Yeah, B, Em's right," Alice said, smiling sweetly at me from her perch on Jasper's lap. "He's just doing the protective father bit. You have nothing to worry about. Edward and Charlie will get along fine."

"She's right," I heard from across the room. "You had nothing to worry about, sweetheart."

I was up and out of my seat in a flash, throwing myself into Edward's arms. "Tell me everything!"

He laughed, shaking his head. "First, your dad wants to say goodbye."

There were snickers in the background as I sheepishly took the phone from Edward and put it to my ear.

"Hi, Dad," I sighed.

"Don't you be trying to pry information out of that man, Isabella," Charlie said in return. "Our conversation was private."

"But—"

"No, no buts." Then his voice softened. "It sounds like you've got a good one, Bells. Enjoy the rest of your visit, and then come see your old man when you guys get back, okay? Maybe for the Fourth?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Okay, I'll talk to the girls and see. We may have to do laundry there, though, if you want us there on the Fourth."

"Sounds good. Now, I'm going to the diner to get something for dinner, and then there's a night game on I want to watch. I'll talk to you again soon."

"Thanks, Dad," I said softly. "Talk to you soon."

I hung up the phone and sighed. "He told me not to ask, so I won't. But you'll tell me if I have any reason to be concerned," I asked as I looked up at Edward's sweet, handsome face.

"If there were anything to be worried about, I'd tell you, beautiful." He smiled, brushing his lips across mine. "Now, how about we finish the movie, huh?"

Nodding, I let him lead me to the couch, where I curled up sideways on his lap, wanting to be as close to him as I could be. My dad's mention of the Fourth had been a reminder that I had less than a week left with Edward. That thought made me almost physically sick to my stomach, so I was determined to stay as close to him as I possibly could until then.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: SqueakyZorro, who looks over our chapters with a fine-toothed comb, put a note at the end of this chapter that said she'd damn well better see the Edward/Charlie conversation next chapter. I promise, you're going to. ;)**

**Bella was so anxious. But Charlie's a good guy...and Edward is an amazing guy who loves his daughter. So it had to have gone well, right? *laugh* Leave us some love & then read on and find out. – Jenny**


	104. Chapter 104: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh, I know...you want to know what was said between Sarge and Charlie. :) By all means... Carry on.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 4:38 P.M.**

"_Sergeant Masen,"_ Charlie greeted coldly over the speakerphone. If he'd not been the father of the girl in my lap, I'd have taken offense to it, but he was. And I totally understood it. _"Could I speak with you in private, son?"_

"Dad!" Bella hissed, rolling her eyes, and I had to smile, because a touch of teenager came flashing to the surface.

"It's okay, Bella. Calm down, sweet girl."

When Charlie middle-named Bella, I knew he was all business, as did she because she sagged, handing me the phone with a mouthed, "Sorry!"

I wasn't worried. In fact, had these circumstances been different, I'd have already had this talk with her father, so it was pretty overdue. I was a grown man and certainly wasn't asking his permission, but he loved Bella, and that alone made me respect the man without having met him.

I took the phone, slipping out from underneath Bella's legs, and walked into my bedroom.

"Chief Swan," I greeted, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"_Sergeant, my daughter has told me some things, and I'm not so naïve as to think that she's told me everything. Alice and Rose seem to like you, and those boys' opinions go a long way, but why don't you tell me about yourself, about your family. It'll make it easier than running a background check,"_ he stated with a touch of humor to his tone.

Chuckling, I started talking. I told him where I was from, what my parents did, and why I'd joined the Army. He'd been told – animatedly by the girls – about Tanya, and his opinion of the Wicked Witch was pretty much like everyone else's. I explained about my mother's illness, her passing, and then of my father's failing. From my acceptance into NIU and then the settling of all of my parents' affairs, I told it all to him, not bothering to lie or sugarcoat it. He might as well know what everyone else did.

"_Both parents, kid?"_ he asked, and I sighed at the sympathy in his voice, but I supposed it was only natural.

"Yes, sir," I replied. "Nothing was holding me in Chicago, so I decided to join up. College just didn't have the same...call to me at the time."

"_The kids tell me you're coming back to Washington when your term is up. Is that true?"_ he asked. It was the question I'd been waiting for, because he'd want to know my intentions with his daughter. He'd want to know if I was just fucking around and about to break her heart, or if I was truly worthy of her time.

"Yes, sir." I ran a hand through my hair. "I've been weighing my options as to what I'm going to do when I get there, but I have the finances to...take my time. I've considered going back to school, since I could use my G.I. Bill. I've considered teaching music like my mother did. Or there's always the police, because my training would come in handy."

"_It did for me,"_ Charlie murmured.

"Either way, I'm not going to just sit around. I want to take care of Bella," I stated firmly. "I know the circumstances surrounding our relationship are...different, but she's everything to me, sir." I shrugged a shoulder, maybe blindly to him or maybe to myself. I wasn't sure.

"_They aren't as strange as you may think. It happened quite a bit when I was in the service,"_ he chuckled. _"In fact, one of my squad members is still married to the same girl he started writing letters to way back then. They have two kids, and if I'm not mistaken, the first grandchild is on the way."_

I laughed. "Nice."

"_Yeah,"_ he snickered. _"Look, Sergeant..."_

"Edward, please," I requested.

"_Edward,"_ he corrected. _"My Isabella is a little free spirit with just enough of me in her to keep her grounded. Thankfully, she looks more like her mother."_ He muttered the last part wryly, and I grinned. _"Anyway, listen. I've noticed what just writing to you has done for her. She's happy, son. I hear it in her voice every time I talk to her. I'd like to keep the silly as hell smile on her face that she had every time her phone went off, which I can only assume was you."_

"Me, too, sir," I snickered, trying to imagine my girl sitting in her father's living room, sneaking peeks at her phone for emails from me.

"_Good,"_ he stated firmly. _"Now... When's your term up?"_

"October."

"_Okay. If you decide to join the police force, let me know. I've got a few friends in __Seattle that owe me a few favors. I'll see what I can do, okay?"_ he asked, and I heard nothing but sincerity over the line.

"Sir. Thank you, sir," I said softly, my eyebrows rising up.

He harrumphed a reply that I could only assume was a "you're welcome," but he wasn't finished with me.

"_Two more things, Edward. One, Bella tells me you guys wanna hit the shooting range when you get here."_

Chuckling, I shook my head. "Yes, sir. Jasper and Emmett are looking forward to it. And so is Bella, if I'm not mistaken."

"_Excellent,"_ he snickered. _"And I'm sure she is. Helluva shot that girl is."_

The pride he had for her practically radiated out of the phone, and I couldn't help but smile.

"_Also, Emmett and I plan a fishing trip every time he comes home. You up for it?"_ he asked, and I knew this was a test.

"I've never been. I look forward to it, sir."

"_Good. Set it up with Em. And take care of my little girl while she's there, you hear?"_

"Yes, sir," I replied again. "It was nice meeting you, Chief."

"_Mmhm,"_ he hummed noncommittally, but then he said, _"and call me Charlie."_

Smiling, I stood up from my bed, because I knew he was done with me. "Did you want to talk to Bella one more time...Charlie?"

"_Yeah, please,"_ he chuckled. _"And I'm glad you made stateside safe, soldier."_

"Thank you, sir."

~oooOOOooo~

"I'm so hitting a Seahawks game when we get home," Jasper vowed with a single nod.

"No, man! You gotta see a Mariners game in person," Emmett argued, pointing to me.

Taking a long drag on my beer, I nodded and smiled. It seemed like ever since I'd gotten off the phone with Charlie, the whole group had started talking about home. It started with the shooting range and fishing but had morphed into everything I needed to know about where I was about to move. It was like my talk with Bella's dad made it all real, or okay...I wasn't sure which.

"Cubs fan?" Jasper asked with a laugh, kicking back on the lounger.

"White Sox," I replied. "Or at least, my dad was." I took another long drink from my beer. "I haven't followed any of it since I joined up."

The endless list of things I needed to do before and after I was released from the Army rattled around in my head. I needed to figure out what I wanted to do for a career, but that required a long talk with Bella. I had things in storage in Chicago that needed to be moved, and even though I wanted to show my girl where I'd grown up, there was also a part of me that just wanted to start my life with her immediately. I'd have to buy a car, move all my finances, and contact my parents' lawyer, which just happened to be Tanya's father, Garrett – a thought that made me cringe.

I also wanted to ask Bella if she was sure about our living together – though, after this week, I was pretty sure I knew the answer to that. My head to turned away from the back yard and into the house to watch as she and the girls made cookies for us to take in with us tomorrow. The radio was on, and they were all laughing and singing as they worked in the kitchen. Suddenly, I couldn't fucking wait until there wasn't a ticking clock hanging over our heads, until all we had was time – to get to know everything there was to know about each other, to figure out us on a daily, living basis, and to just...be.

"Oh, and you just gotta go to Joe's," Emmett stated, bringing me back to the porch and out of my daydreaming.

"Hell yeah," Jasper agreed with a nod. "Best beer and best place to play pool."

"And there's First Beach...that's where Charlie likes to go out in his boat," Emmett gushed. "It's down on this Indian reservation not far from his house."

On and on they went, talking about all the places I needed to see, but I gazed back into the house, meeting Bella's eyes. She stepped out onto the porch, taking a sip of her own beer.

"The first batch is out. Did you guys want some?" she asked, jerking a thumb behind her.

The guys nodded, standing up. Jasper slapped my shoulder. "Don't sweat a thing, Sarge. We'll show you all around when we get home."

Without tearing my gaze from Bella's, I nodded and took a sip of beer. "Yeah...I can't wait."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: With Charlie's approval – or at least, temporary approval – things seem to be getting pretty real about Edward coming home to Seattle.**

**I need to thank every last one of you that have reviewed. An amused nod goes top GothicTemptress for giving her damnedest to push us over 8000! LOL I think it worked, and thank you for my laugh of the day. That was awesome! :) Thank you all again...**

**Okay, troops – as you call yourselves on FB – we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	105. Chapter 105: Bella

**A/N #1: FFn can be a PITA sometimes, can't it? For those of you who took the time to let us know via PM, tweet, or FB that you liked the chapter but you weren't able to review, thank you. It means a lot that you went out of your way. :) We hope everyone enjoyed the talk with Charlie. If you have time and want to go back and let us know, great. If not, that's fine, too. :) RL can get in the way, and we totally understand that!**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 4:52 P.M.**

I had just folded a T-shirt of Edward's from the basket of clean laundry when my phone beeped, signaling a new text message.

_E: Beautiful, I hate to do this, but the guys and I are going to be late tonight. Got called in to a last minute meeting with some of the bigwigs to talk about how we think the training program is going so far._

_B: Aww, babe, it's ok. I have a lasagna in the oven, so I can just turn it down, and it'll be ready when you guys get here. Know how long it'll take?_

_E: We're just waiting for the last few to show up, but they won't be here until 5, so we have a few until it starts. So...no idea when we'll get home._

Well damn... We had less than a week left here in Florida, so any extra time Edward had to spend on base took away from that. I hated it, but there was nothing I could do, so I put on my game face and sent him another text.

_B: K. Well, we'll see you when we see you, I suppose. Try not to get too bored while you're waiting. ;) Love you, Sarge._

_E: I love you, too, sweetheart. See you when I get home._

Rose and Alice walked in right after I set my phone back on the table, frowns on their faces.

"You got a message, too, huh?" I smiled sympathetically.

"Yes," Alice grumped, folding her arms across her chest as she sank down into one of the recliners.

Rose nodded. "Hopefully it won't take that long. 'How's it going, Sergeant Masen?' 'Just fine, sir. The soldiers are learning quickly.' 'Good, now go home.'" She grinned. "See? How hard could it be?"

I laughed and tossed a balled up pair of socks at her, dodging when she threw it back at me.

She settled in beside me on the couch and kicked her feet up on the coffee table, wiggling her newly-painted, deep red toenails.

A few minutes later, the house phone rang, interrupting our conversation.

"Go ahead and answer it," Alice said, gesturing to the phone that was sitting on the table by my end of the couch.

"It's their house phone. We can just let it go to the machine." I felt kind of weird answering the guys' phone when they weren't there.

Rolling her eyes, Rose shoved playfully at my shoulder. "Just answer it, Bells. They won't care."

Sticking my tongue out, I finally grabbed the phone on the fourth ring. "Hello?"

"_Hello,"_ a woman's voice echoed. _"Could I please speak with Edward?"_

I raised an eyebrow. "He's not here right now. Could I give him a message?"

The woman made a huffing sound of frustration. _"Yes, could you tell him Tanya called?"_

_Tanya?_ I thought, before stuttering, "T-Tanya?"

Alice and Rose sat up straight, eyes narrowed.

"_Yes, that's right. Eddie got in touch with me recently to tell me he was back in the States, so naturally, I had to call him back."_ She paused and then asked, _"Who am I speaking with? Are you one of the wives of his roommates?"_

_Edward had called her? Why?_ I swallowed back the ball of nerves and disgust that had gotten lodged in my throat and bit out, "No, this is his girlfriend, Bella."

"_Oh, yes... The one he met through a silly little letter. He mentioned something about that. I didn't pay much attention to it. After all, now that he's back in the U.S. and getting out of that dreadful job soon, he'll want to come home to me. I'm the only home he has and the only tie back to his parents. He won't be able to give up that tie, so you should prepare yourself now, Beth."_ Her voice was totally bitchy and condescending, and I fought the urge not to throw the phone through the living room window. _"Thank you for helping him get through being overseas, but I'll take over for him now. He won't need you anymore. We can be happy again, like we were before he made the decision that broke us."_

Suddenly, I wasn't nervous. I was just pissed. "First of all, my name is Bella."

I nearly blew my top at her muttered, _"Whatever!"_

"Second, if Edward was planning to go _home_, as you put it," I said snidely, "then why did he sell everything? Hmm?" Looking up at Rose and Alice, who looked as murderous as I felt, it reminded me of something. "By the way... I believe you have some photos that don't belong to you. If you grab a pen, I can give you the address of where to send them."

When she finally replied, she was calm, her voice cool. _"Not _everything_ was sold, Becky. Eddie still has many things here. In fact...I believe I have several boxes of his things. If he wasn't coming home to me, would I still have them?"_ She sniffed. _"I think not. As for the photos, he was just upset . I know those were just pictures he collected to try to make me jealous, so I threw them out. Eddie would never cheat on me."_

My inner warrior reared back and verbally smacked her. "No, the cheater would be you."

Tanya gasped. _"You bitch! You don't know anything about me or my relationship with Eddie. You just wait. Once he hears I called, he'll throw you out and invite me down there. In fact, I think I'll go look at tickets now."_ She hung up without another word.

I fumbled with the phone, finally pressing the End button and tossing the phone to the table in front of me. I felt totally and completely numb from my head to my toes, and I was afraid if I stayed where I was, I would be sick. I knew my reaction to the bitch's call didn't make sense. Edward loved me, I was sure of it, and I loved him. So what was my problem? Why had I let her words about Edward's "home" affect me like they had? I wasn't sure I believed her about him having contacted her or that she had several boxes of his things, but what if I was just being naïve?

I couldn't think about it anymore. I had to go lay down on the bed before my wobbly knees forced me down to the floor.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

"Talk to us, sweetie."

"Bella Swan, you're scaring me. What did she say?" Alice's arms were crossed, and her expression was murderous.

They both sounded worried, and I knew if I tried to talk, I would shatter. So instead, I simply shook my head and pushed my way past them, moving to the bedroom. I left my friends, my phone, and my self confidence behind.

Once in the bedroom, I stripped off my clothes, leaving on my panties, and then reached into Edward's drawer and pulled out one of his soft T-shirts – a deep green that reminded me of his eyes. Seeing the dog tags he'd given me with my other things on the top of the dresser, I grabbed them and slipped the chain over my head.

Shaking, I climbed under the blanket on the bed, turned on my side, and hoped if I could fall asleep, maybe when I woke up, the last hour would turn out to have been a nightmare.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I know. I know. The witch is back. PLEASE don't hate on Bella. Deep inside, she knows Tanya herself really isn't competition, that Edward loves her. But honestly, Bella is still really insecure in some ways because of Mike, especially. Something like that can really damage a girl's self-esteem, and because of the way Bella & Edward met and how truly new their face-to-face relationship is, she can't help but be affected by it. Edward will straighten her out, I'm sure...and I promise, this is the last freak out she'll have about the Wicked Witch. ;)**

**Now, go on... Leave Bella some kind words and then see what Sarge has to say. ;) – Jenny**


	106. Chapter 106: Edward

**A/N #1: Eew...I know, the Wicked Witch... Blech... Go on, I'll see you at the bottom.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 7:03 P.M.**

The meeting took way too long for my liking. Not only was I practically starved by the time it let out, but it cut into my time with Bella. Alice was waiting for us on the front porch steps when we pulled in. Instead of flying into Jasper's arms like we all expected, she ran to me, tugging on my hand.

"You have to get in there," she grunted, and at first, I thought she was playing, but the sight of her panicked face told me differently.

"What happened, Alice?" I asked, taking her by the shoulders.

"Tanya called," she stated, a rather evil sneer on her face.

"Here?" I asked, my mouth hanging open. "What did she say?"

"We don't know," Rose replied from the front porch steps. "And Bella won't tell us."

"Fuck," I hissed, dodging everyone to get inside and grabbing the house phone as I stomped down the hallway.

I was fucking livid, because I knew the only way that Tanya got my phone number was through her father. And there was no fucking telling what that mean bitch had said to Bella, especially if Bella had told her who she was to me. Tanya was ruthless when push came to shove.

Scrolling through the phone's Caller ID, I discovered that I'd been right. Tanya had called from her parents' home in Chicago.

I found Bella in bed, and I thought she was asleep until I knelt beside her. The sight shattered me. She was in one of my T-shirts, the dog tags I'd given her in a fierce grip, but it was the large, heartbreaking tears that just killed me.

"Sweet girl, what happened?" I asked, knowing the answer, but I needed to know _why_ she was so upset. Bella should've known better than to allow the Wicked Witch to get to her.

"T-Tanya called...s-said that you c-contacted her, th-that she was just r-returning your call. Sh-She knew about me...how we met," Bella hiccuped, swiping at her face, but I reached up to do it for her. "You _told her_, Edward?"

"She said _I_ contacted _her_?" I verified, suddenly over-the-top pissed off. "Bella, I promise you that I didn't. Not her. Sit up. I want to show you something."

I clicked on the lamp on the bedside table as she slowly sat up, and then I stood up to grab my laptop, only to set it down in my girl's lap as she leaned against the headboard.

"What else did she tell you?" I practically growled, opening my computer in her lap. I wasn't mad at Bella, but I was damn close to not keeping my control in front of her. "Tell me!"

"She thanked me for getting you through Afghanistan and said that you would be going home to her. That she'd take it from there," Bella stated, her eyes on my chest, not my face.

"I just bet she did," I muttered, my lip curling in hatred. I pointed to the laptop. "Open my email, sweetheart. You'll need the password." I held up my hand when she started to spin the computer to face me, but she needed to know my whole life revolved around her, even down to the smallest of details. "It's _cookie thief_." I raised an eyebrow at her and waited as a barely there smile flashed across her face.

Gazing down at the phone in my hand, I hit redial. I leaned across Bella, clicking on my sent email folder and pointing to the email that Tanya was speaking about, though it wasn't to _Tanya_. It was to her father. My fucking _lawyer_. I'd contacted him via his office email once I'd settled stateside because he controlled my finances while I was overseas. I'd let him know that I'd needed my control back, that I was fine, and I'd given him the house phone as a contact number. And because he was the closest thing to a parent I had out there, I told him about Bella, how we met, and even apologized about the way things had ended with his daughter, but I would eventually be shifting all of my things to Washington. And lastly, I'd added Isabella Swan as my beneficiary should something happen to me.

The phone rang in my ear as sweet brown, now understanding eyes locked with mine after she'd finished reading.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey, Aunt Irina. It's Edward," I sighed, grateful it was Tanya's mother first. She was a kind woman, but pushy.

"_Edward! It's good to hear from you. You okay? How's Florida?"_ she asked, and the sound of her voice made me miss my mother with an all-consuming grief.

"I'm fine. And it's hot," I chuckled, but it trailed off. "I need to speak with Garrett, please."

"_Sure, sweetie. Hang on,"_ she said, but then stopped. _"You know, Tanya's here visiting __for the summer..."_

I sneered, huffing a frustrated breath, but turned on the speaker phone. "I'm aware. And I definitely need to talk to her, but I need Uncle Garrett first."

There was a fumbling around with the phone, some muffled voices, and finally, _"Edward! How are you, son?"_ Garrett asked in his usual booming voice.

I sat down in front of Bella on the edge of the bed, but my focus was the phone in my hand that I was holding so hard, the white of my knuckles was showing.

"I'm okay. However, I am concerned that you've had some sort of security breach at your office. Someone hacked my email to you..."

"_What? Who?"_

"Tanya."

The silence that rang out shocked Bella, who gasped slightly.

"_Oh, hell..."_ he groaned, and I knew the man well enough to know that he was rubbing his face in frustration. _"I left my laptop open in my home office, Edward. I thought she was over it. I mean...she broke it off with you... Not that I approved."_

"I want my file turned over to someone else at the firm by Monday at the latest. Am I understood, Uncle Garrett? I've moved on, and I'm not coming back to Chicago, not even to move my things. I need someone that can handle shipping them to Washington for me when I'm ready for them," I stated, my eyes locking with Bella's, whose tears had started anew. "And I can't have my privacy invaded again."

"_No, son. I suppose not,"_ he sighed, sounding tired and defeated because he knew that he could get in trouble – possibly even be disbarred – for allowing someone to view private correspondence between a client and himself, even if it was his only daughter. _"I'll turn you over to Marcus first thing in the morning."_

"Now...where the fuck is Tanya?" I snapped, my lip curling.

"_Aw, Edward...please don't do this,"_ Garrett begged. _"She's having problems with her grades at Harvard..."_

"Not. My. Problem," I stated through clenched teeth. "Put her on the phone. This ends...now. She can't call my house, spew lies, pretending all is fine. And if you don't think I know all about her..._friends_, then you're delusional. You're not the only person I speak with at the firm. Tanya's activities are spread far and wide."

_Like her fucking legs,_ I thought to myself with a snort.

"_Dammit,"_ he murmured before he called for his daughter.

"_Eddie!"_ Tanya squealed into the phone, and I flinched at the same time that Bella rolled her beautiful eyes.

"Don't call me that. What the hell were you thinking calling my house, Tanya?" I snapped, standing up and starting to pace. "You broke up with me...remember?"

"_Aw, baby, I didn't mean it. I was just scared, confused. I've just booked a flight to come see you,"_ she rambled cheerily.

"Don't bother," I told her bluntly – and rather coldly. "You were scared and confused? Really? Tanya, you asked for your fucking picture back! Which I gladly gave once I called Katie."

The gasp over the line made me smile, but Bella's eyebrows shot up high into her hairline. Her face filled with adorable curiosity.

"I know all about the guys at your school. You really underestimate where people's loyalties lie," I stated, shaking my head.

Katie had gone to school with us and now worked at the law firm. I'd called to speak with Garrett not long after I'd received Tanya's ridiculous letter, trying to find out what the hell was going on. Katie and I were friends, and she was so pissed at Tanya that she spilled everything – Tanya's cheating, her real reasons for breaking up. Tanya was sleeping with a professor at her school, along with others. I was sure of it.

"_Edward, please don't do this,"_ Tanya cried. _"I miss you. You know you miss me, too. I'm all the family you've got. When you come home, we'll work this out. I'm transferring to NIU next year so we can be together. Chicago is our home. We were born here. It's where your parents are buried."_

Bella's face turned away from me, her gaze now out toward the night sky. She'd set my laptop aside and wrapped her arms around her knees. I sighed, running a frustrated hand through my hair, because I'd have given anything to know what she was thinking.

"You're wrong, Tanya. I have a new family, and my home? That's wherever Bella is," I stated, raising an eyebrow at my girl when her head spun my way.

"_She doesn't know you, baby. I do. We grew up together."_

I snorted into a loud, humorless laugh, shaking my head. "She knows me better than anyone. In fact, I should thank you. If it weren't for you, Bella and I wouldn't have met," I said, my tone snarky and sarcastic, because I knew it would piss Tanya off. I had to smile when my girl covered her mouth to hold in her giggle. "Tanya, I've got to go. Don't call again. The number will be changed tomorrow. And don't show up in Florida, either. I'll have you arrested for trespassing. Understand?"

"_Eddie, no! Please!"_ she begged, now sobbing. _"I didn't want to lose you, but I was scared. I overreacted."_

I grimaced because I absolutely hated the sound of a crying woman, but Tanya had brought this all on herself.

I shook my head, my mother's words coming back to me. "Tanya, if you couldn't accept me at my worst, at my hardest time, then you don't deserve me at my best. I was in a fucking war...and you were scared?" I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "That's fucking bullshit, and you know it. You were cheating and wanted out. I gave you that option before I shipped out. You didn't take it. That's now no longer my problem."

"_What about your things?"_ she asked, and I knew that she had some of my stuff at her parents' home. It was small shit – some clothes, a movie or two, some CDs, and maybe some pictures. None of it was consequential, because the main bulk of my belongings were in a storage facility that she had no access to.

"Keep them, burn them. I don't care," I told her, shrugging a shoulder. "Now, I've got to go. Good luck, Tanya."

With that, I ended the call, cutting off a string of sobs and curses. I couldn't bear to listen to her anymore, because it had always been all about her, about what she was feeling. It was about what she needed or wanted. And I had more important things to deal with.

Bracing a hand on the wall above Bella's head, I reached out with the other and grabbed my dog tags that were around her neck. "Wanna tell me what this was all about, love?" I asked softly as I pressed my forehead to hers. "Wanna tell me how you lost faith with just one word from her? I thought I'd made it perfectly clear what I feel for you."

Bella's eyes welled up with tears, but she wouldn't look at me. "I'm sorry, Edward... It wasn't just one word. It was everything she said."

I sighed, ignoring my growling stomach. Gathering my girl up in my arms, I fell down on the bed along her side as I pressed kisses to her forehead. "Tell me, sweetheart. What were you thinking?"

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: For a refresher on Sarge's conversation with his friend Katie, you can go back to the prologue on my personal profile. Drotuno. :) And don't hate on Bella's little freak out... She'll get her chance to explain. Even Edward was aware of just how selfish and cruel Tanya could be.**

**But dear Lord, he's sexy when he's pissed... ;)**

**Okay, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Hopefully, FFn will have cleaned up its act by the time we post. Mooches, Deb :)**


	107. Chapter 107: Bella

**A/N #1: Ok, so no, of course Edward didn't call Skankya, the she-witch. He had emailed her father – his lawyer – about his relationship with Bella, the new phone number, etc. Garrett was a dummy and left his computer open. Now, if Tanya went snooping when she saw Edward's name in the list or the email itself was actually open so all she had to do was look at the screen, we can only guess. But regardless...**

**I know some of you think Bella's just dealing with self-esteem issues, and sure, there's some of that. But that isn't all. To find out why she reacted like she did and what Edward has to say about it, read on. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 7:19 P.M.**

Listening to Edward as he dealt with the she-witch was both gratifying and sexy, but it also tore at my heart. When she brought up everything I feared – his connection through her to his parents and his history with them in Chicago – I had to turn away or I was going to lose it. Even though we'd talked about it, when he told her that his home was with me, it still made my heart speed up, and it tore my gaze from the window to Edward's sweet, fierce face. And then when he thanked her for basically setting the two of us up? I barely held in my giggle. But then the reality of everything set in again – all my fears and worries – and I sobered once more.

By the time he hung up and tossed the phone down on the bedside table, I could feel that pressure behind my eyes once more.

Edward leaned in, one hand on the wall behind my head and the other gripping the dog tags I'd put on before climbing into bed, and touched his forehead to mine. "Wanna tell me what this was all about, love?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Wanna tell me how you lost faith with just one word from her? I thought I'd made it perfectly clear what I feel for you."

At his almost hurt tone, I couldn't hold my tears back anymore. I felt my eyes water, but I didn't bother reaching up to wipe them away. I kept my eyes down, unable to look at him – for fear of what I'd see and because I was ashamed that I'd let the she-witch get to me. "I'm sorry, Edward... It wasn't just one word. It was everything she said."

Edward sighed softly, pulling me into his arms as he slid into bed beside me. I felt his kisses to my forehead and then heard his voice, almost pleading, when he asked, "Tell me, sweetheart. What were you thinking?"

I finally looked up at him, my eyes taking in everything about him. He looked sad, worried...but the love that just about damn radiated from him nearly took my breath away and made my tears start anew.

He sighed, pulling me tighter to him. "Oh, baby, please," he groaned softly. "Talk to me, Bella. Please. You're killing me here, sweetheart. Don't you know how much I love you?"

Nodding fiercely, I reached up to swipe at my eyes, willing the tears to stop, even though they didn't listen. "I know you do, Edward. God, you show me that every minute of every day."

"Then what's wrong?" He reached up to brush away some of the moisture from my cheeks. "What's causing these?"

"We've only known each other four months...and we only saw each other for the first time, spoke on Skype, two months ago. I know you love me, Edward. I do. But how is the love you feel for me supposed to compete with eighteen years of love, of memories of your parents?" I took a shuddering breath, shaking my head again when he started to speak. I needed to get this all out now, or I was afraid I wouldn't be able to at all. "T-Tanya was right. She and her parents are your only ties to you history, to your memories of your childhood, of your own parents. You need those ties. Your memories and your parents are important, and if you give her up, you give up those ties, too."

When I'd been silent for a few moments, Edward used a finger under my chin to tilt my head up so I was forced to look into his beautiful, sad eyes.

"Can I speak now?" he asked solemnly.

I gave a watery laugh and nodded.

"Good, because I have a few things to say, and I want to make sure you're listening."

He sat up, leaning back against the headboard, and then pulled me up and onto his lap so I was straddling his thighs. Taking my head in his hands, he made eye contact and wouldn't let me look away. His hands were gentle, his thumbs softly stroking my cheeks, and his eyes were a warm, liquid green as they gazed into mine.

"First of all," he started softly, "there _is_ no competition. I will always have memories of my parents, no matter where I live. Memories aren't stored in a specific city or house, Isabella. My memories of my parents are all in my head and in my heart. I'll always carry them with me, no matter where I go – whether it's Chicago, Afghanistan, or Forks.

"Second... You have to remember, sweetheart, my memories aren't all happy ones. They aren't things I want to relive day in and day out. Yes, I have happy memories from when I was growing up." He sighed, dropping his hands to my shoulders, before sliding them down my arms to my thighs, where he rubbed gently. "Chicago...and even Tanya..." Her name came out as a sneer before he got himself under control again. "They are reminders of not only the good times, but also of the bad. My mother's illness and passing away. My father folding in on himself and drinking himself to death instead of helping to comfort me when I needed it most. The feeling of being without any family..."

I felt my heart breaking for him all over again, thinking of the scared, angry teenager he must have been, especially when his dad handled things the way he had. I reached up and ran a hand through his hair, lightly scratching his scalp like I knew he enjoyed. My other hand cupped his face like he'd done mine, trying to give him comfort in any way I could.

"Christ, Bella," he groaned. "Don't you know? The first time I felt like I could look back on Chicago and feel something other than sadness and anger was when I met you. Talking to you about it all, telling you about my mother, about how she taught me piano, how I played for her when she was sick... It made me remember the good times. The love. _You_ brought my happiness and my family back to me, Isabella. Not Chicago, and certainly not Ta—"

Everything he'd said warmed me from the inside out. I couldn't stand it any longer. I needed to show him that I understood...that I was done worrying about the past. I leaned forward, pressing my chest to his, and kissed him.

With a groan against my lips, Edward wrapped me in his arms, crushing me against him. His lips were soft, yet commanding, guiding me through the kiss. He tasted like mint and Pepsi and just everything that was Edward. When he slid one hand into my hair, he gave it a gentle tug, tilting my head to open me up for his drugging kisses. His other hand was busy on my leg, moving from knee to thigh, his thumb barely brushing against the lace of my panties before moving back down.

He was overwhelming to my senses. His touch as he pulled my hair and rubbed my thigh, his scent as I breathed him in, his taste as our tongues danced, and the feel of his muscles – his strong thighs under mine, his chest and arms and shoulders as my hands never stopped moving over his body... I couldn't get enough. I circled my hips, suddenly ravenous for him.

Edward's hand moved to my hips and began helping me move, holding me down to get the pressure right where I needed it.

And then, his stomach growled – not just a quiet reminder that he hadn't eaten dinner, but a loud, roaring noise that said, "Feed me now!"

"Ignore it," Edward said when I broke away, giggling. "I'm not hungry."

Pressing one more kiss to his now pouting lips, I shook my head. "Yes, you are. We can pick this"—I motioned between the two of us—"up later. Now? It's dinnertime."

His eyebrows knit together, and he looked concerned. "Have you not eaten dinner yet either, sweetheart?"

Feeling sheepish, I shook my head again. "No, we were waiting for you guys, and then the she-witch called, and..."

Edward laughed at the nickname and then pressed another kiss to my lips. "Come on, then, beautiful. Let's go show everyone you're okay and have dinner. Then we can come back in here and pick up where we left off, okay?"

I sighed, but nodded. "Okay."

With one last kiss, I climbed off him to find shorts and then took his hand as he led me from the room.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So does it make sense now? She didn't doubt his love. She just was worried that he would be giving up so much by leaving Chicago. It's a hard thing for her to grasp. She wants the best for him, and for a minute, she worried that leaving all his memories, his ties to his parents, wasn't what was best.**

**Now, it's time for some light-hearted fun. Leave some love (and again, thank you so, so much for the reviews. We love reading them, truly!), and then head on over to see what mischief the gang can get into. :) – Jenny**


	108. Chapter 108: Edward

**A/N #1: I'm so very glad that most of you guys kept the faith with Sarge and Bella. You make me proud. ;) Bella simply understood what Edward was leaving behind if he left his past behind. She didn't want him to lose anything, and most of you pointed out that this is still very, very new for them.**

**Now for some plain old fun... :D**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 6:34 P.M.**

"You assholes are so goin' down!" Emmett boomed, wincing when Rose smacked the back of his head.

Jasper had overheard a few officers talking about the Fun Center, and he'd looked it up on his phone. Once he'd seen what it contained, he'd been on it like white on rice – go-karts, video games, mini-golf...the latter of which was what was causing Emmett's excitement.

"Emmett," I hissed, jerking my chin to a family a few holes away. The place was quiet due to it being the middle of the week, but there were still a few kids around.

"My bad, Sarge," he muttered, and then turned to the family. "My bad!" he yelled, which made the two little girls giggle, along with Alice and Bella. Rose merely smirked and rolled her eyes. "I didn't see them..."

I sighed, but even the parents were sort of amused, so I dropped it. Emmett was hard to stay mad at. Hell, even perfect strangers could tell he was harmless. All he had to do was flash his dimples, and they were done for.

"So how's this going to work?" Alice asked, handing out the putters.

"Couples tournament," Emmett suggested, taking a few practice swings. "Losers buy the go-kart rides."

"Doesn't he remember the scorpion?" Bella muttered, which caused me to chuckle.

"Mental block," I whispered in her ear. "Happens to soldiers all the time. Watch him swing it. Baseball bat, see?"

Her laugh was beautiful, but it was her wry glance over her shoulder that made me kiss her cheek.

"Come on, love. You any good at this shit?" I asked, taking two golf balls out of the basket.

"Um, no clue. Guess we'll find out," she giggled, shrugging a shoulder, "but I'm not good at baseball, either, so maybe that's a plus."

Grinning, I rolled my eyes at her. "I won't make you eat a scorpion if we lose. I promise."

"You have blue balls," Jasper chortled, pointing to my hand and sounding eerily like Butthead, which only caused Emmett to pull out his Beavis impression, screaming, "I'm Cornholio!"

Bella chuckled, taking one of the blue golf balls from my hand with a raised eyebrow. "A shame, really..."

"Not this week," I said with a grin, dragging my tongue along my bottom lip. "The desert? Every fucking email and phone call."

Her head fell back with her laugh, and I pulled her back to my chest, placing a kiss on her exposed throat. There was a part of me that knew deep down that it was already Wednesday, that Saturday was fast approaching, and I didn't fucking want to let her go. I didn't want to let her out of my sight, even to go to work. Now that I had her, now that I knew exactly what I'd be missing, the three months without her were going to be pure hell. But I wouldn't have given up a single second of what I'd been given the last week and a half, because all of it had just reaffirmed my love for her – our love for each other.

Even the Tanya situation had been needed, because I was finally able to shut that door for the last time. After dinner the night before, I'd spent hours lost in my girl. Something about the freedom of it all had caused some sort of flood gate to open up, and we'd been almost desperate in our lovemaking. In fact, underneath our clothes were a fair amount of love bites that I didn't even remember getting or giving – until I saw them in the shower this morning. I guessed there was a part of Bella that had worried that my walking away from the only family I had left would bother me, but it didn't. My memories would always be with me, but my heart belonged to her. And my family was the four other people currently fighting over who was teeing off first in a simple game of mini-golf.

When it came time for us to play, I absolutely couldn't resist messing with my girl.

Wrapping my arms around her from behind, my hands over hers on the putter, I whispered, "This is sort of like pool," I started, smiling against her ear when she groaned softly. "It's all about the _grip_, the _angle_, and the..._follow-through_."

"All to reach the _hole_," she added, grinning down at her feet as we ignored everyone else.

"Mmm, exactly, sweet girl," I crooned in her ear. "Use the sides to your advantage... And timing is everything."

Bella giggled softly, shaking her head. "Edward, you're not really helping."

I laughed, took a step back, and waved her on. She wasn't bad, actually, and we started to hold our own, though each and every hole became a sexual innuendo. By the time we reached the one with a ramp up into a clown's mouth to finish the game, we were ahead of Emmett and Rose, but behind Alice and Jasper score-wise.

My girl, however, totally got revenge on me, because I'd fucked with her throughout the entire game. "Come on, babe. You can do this. You just have to..._slide it into the mouth_."

Grinning, I rubbed my face, only to run my fingers through my hair. "I'm a dead man..." I muttered to myself, because she wasn't finished.

"You can't be too harsh, either, or you'll hit the back of the throat too hard," she added softly as she stood right next to me. "Don't be afraid to use your hips."

I huffed a laugh and sighed – in contentment, in want of her, and in pure defeat. After one raised eyebrow her way from me, she giggled, patted my stomach on the outside of my shirt, and stepped back.

Jasper and Emmett made a bunch of fucking noise, trying to knock me off my game, but I nailed it, catching Bella when we'd beaten Emmett and Rose, who were now bitching about the go-kart rides.

"Come on, Edward. Let's see how...naughty we can make an air hockey game," Bella suggested in my ear.

"Fuck that. I'll just defile you on top of it," I growled playfully, nipping at the skin of her neck as I kept her in my arms.

"_Way_ too public," she replied with a sexy-as-hell grin. "Besides, I think the girl in there is crushing on you... I can't allow too much of you to be seen. She might be a stalker."

My eyebrows shot up, and I looked in the direction that Bella had jerked her chin. The poor thing blushed from the window she was cleaning and looked away. She couldn't be more than high school age, and in all reality, I couldn't tell exactly who she was staring at – Jasper, Emmett, or myself.

I faced Bella again, setting her on her feet. "Nope, too bad. I'll stick with what I've got." I popped her backside lightly, saying, "Besides, I need to see what you look like bent over the air hockey table."

Bella laughed, shaking her head. "Ditto, Masen. Ditto."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Heehee... I love innuendo. ;) Like adore it, actually. You don't even want to know the conversations my pre-reader GooberLou and I get into at work. LOL**

**This group outing is far from over, so leave some love, and we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb :)**


	109. Chapter 109: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys so much for all the love! You seemed to enjoy the group stuff just as much as we loved writing it, so here's more. :) You get a lot more of E/B time, too, though, so enjoy!**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 9:36 P.M.**

"I can't believe it's almost ten o'clock and still eighty-three degrees out," I huffed, blowing a strand of hair that had come loose from my ponytail.

"I think it's the humidity that's the worst," Rose chimed in from her seat behind mine. "Sweating like crazy."

We'd just gotten in the car after spending the last three hours at the Fun Center – most of it outdoors. After mini-golf, we'd done the go-karts before going inside to play video games. Then it was back outside to do the batting cages – Emmett's bad golf swing turned out to be fantastic for swinging a baseball bat – and a few more rounds on the go-karts. We were the only ones out there, so the guy had let us just keep going until we were ready to leave for the night.

"Let's go get ice cream," Emmett said from beside Rose. "That'll cool us down."

Edward looked over me, and I shrugged. "I could go for some Dairy Queen." I loved their soft-serve ice cream, and it would give me another way to tease him.

When Alice, Jasper, and Rose all agreed, Edward shrugged and pulled the SUV out of the parking lot.

Nearly half an hour later, we were all piling out of the SUV, giggling and talking as we crossed the small parking lot.

"I still say I won golf," Emmett protested, tripping over the entry into the ice cream shop when Jasper shoved at him.

"Idiot," Rose muttered, shaking her head at her husband, but the sweet smile on her face told me just how much she loved him, despite his crazy notions. "The object of the game wasn't to see who could hit the ball over that many of the damn obstacles."

"But did you see me jump the windmill?" Emmett persisted. "That was awesome."

She just grinned and tugged him to the counter, placing their order first.

"Whatcha gonna get, babe?" I asked Edward as he slipped his arm around my waist.

"Mmm..." He rubbed his belly and bit his lip, as if in thought. "It's not your cookies, but I think I want the Double Fudge Cookie Dough Blizzard."

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but fall a little more in love with the man beside me every time he mentioned how much he enjoyed my cookies. Standing up on my tiptoes, I pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I love how much you love my cookies," I murmured softly in his ear, smiling when he hummed his agreement.

He gave me a squeeze as I moved back to my place beside him and asked, "What about you? You like the plain waffle cone, right?"

I nodded enthusiastically, already licking my lips in anticipation.

Edward groaned, guiding me to the counter, where he placed our order and paid.

Once we had our ice cream, we moved to the corner where Emmett and Rose had already secured a booth big enough for the six of us.

"We didn't have a chance to tell you guys yet," Jasper started once he and Alice sat down, "but Sarge, here, was able to get us Friday off."

Alice squealed and threw herself at Jasper, nearly knocking their shared banana split to the floor. Rose was much more sedate, but I didn't even want to know where her hand was at the moment because Emmett's eyes had widened and his mouth had formed this little "oh" expression.

Turning to Edward, I tuned my friends out, my eyes wide. "You mean I get you for a whole extra day before we leave?"

He nodded, grinning. "We thought we could take you guys to the beach this time. I didn't get to spend nearly enough time ogling you in that bikini."

I leaned in and kissed him, the sweetness from our ice cream making it a little sticky. Licking my lips once I pulled away, I had to fight to keep from moaning. My voice was a little raspy when I said just for his ears, "Mmm, Edward and ice cream. Not sure which tastes sweeter."

His eyes darkened as I lifted my cone to my lips and took a long, suggestive lick, moaning softly this time for his benefit.

The rest of the time at Dairy Queen was like that. We didn't ignore our friends, but every time my tongue would dart out to catch a drip of ice cream, Edward's eyes never left the movement. He had to reach down and adjust himself several times, and I could see the...growing problem he had pressing against his zipper.

"You're a naughty wench," he growled softly in my ear, his warm breath ghosting over the shell of it, sending shivers up my spine and goosebumps over my skin. "There will be consequences when we get home, my beautiful girl."

I just barely held back my moan when his teeth latched onto my ear lobe, the stinging bite soothed by the wet strokes of his tongue.

"Time to go!" I slapped my hand down on the table, startling the others. My voice had come out higher than normal and very breathy, and Edward's quiet chuckle in my ear just about damn near put me over the edge.

"You," I hissed, turning to him and taking his chin between my thumb and forefinger. "You are a dangerous creature."

Edward managed to look both innocent and naughty as he pulled back and gave me a smirk. With his eyebrow raised, he said, "Come on, then. You're blocking me so I can't get out."

Sliding my hand down his chest, over the buttons of his white shirt, I finally palmed his erection through his jeans. When my fingers wrapped around the length of him as best I could through the thick material, his head fell back to the booth and a curse escaped his lips.

"Gross, man," Emmett groaned. "I so don't need to know what you guys are doing over there."

Edward's head came up, and we both gave our friend a raised eyebrow.

"Hello, pot," I teased, waving my hand at his wife. "My name's kettle."

When Rose leaned over to whisper in his ear, Emmett grinned. "Oh yeah..." he breathed, nodding. Looking back at us, he said, "Carry on, then. But let's go so you can finish at home."

Laughing, I slid from the booth, holding out my hand for Edward once he had gotten up and thrown away our trash.

"Come on, my naughty girl," he purred, tugging me into his side. "What I want to do with you does _not_ get an audience."

I shivered, feeling my nipples pucker in anticipation.

~oooOOOooo~

Edward took the bathroom first while I took my hair down and brushed it out. He came out wearing nothing but a smirk, his hard cock bobbing with every step.

Moving up behind me in front of the dresser mirror, he thrust his hips against my back side, reaching around to cup me possessively through my jeans with one hand while the other moved up my body to my breast. I couldn't take my eyes off the mirror. It was odd, being fully clothed while he was hard and naked behind me, but fuck if it wasn't a gorgeous sight.

"Mmm, this is definitely something we'll have to try," he murmured, both hands squeezing gently.

I moaned my agreement, pushing my hips back into his.

"But not tonight." The hand from my breast moved to my ass and swatted me once. "Go do what you need to do, and don't dawdle. I want you on the bed in three minutes."

Something about his command, said in that Army Sergeant voice, as he spanked my ass and pressed his other hand against my mound made me want to salute him. Or drop to my knees... Instead, I turned and gave him a wink. "Yes, sir," I teased, stepping away.

On my way to the bathroom, I pulled my shirt off, dropping it to the floor behind me. Turning my head before I walked through the door, I gave him my best sultry, sexy grin as I reached behind me and unclasped my bra.

"Be ready for me, Sarge..." I teased before closing the door on his soft curse.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Oh, yeah...teasing with the ice cream, and then it leads into what will be some lemony goodness? Sign me up. ;) And just to surprise you? It's a 4-chapter day!**

**Ok, so question...although if you don't want to answer, you certainly don't have to. *laugh* Have YOU every made love in front of the mirror? I haven't. No thank you. LOL But I love reading about it. haha**

**Finally, quite a few people have asked about Esme & Carlisle. If you don't remember from early in the story, they are Alice's parents. You'll hear more about them later in the story, but for now, I'll tell you this: They live in Forks, but we won't actually SEE them until the end in an outtake. Because our characters are adults, the parents don't feature into the story much (aside from Charlie because he's Bella's father). **

**All right, leave us some love and then head on to chapter two of four! :) – Jenny**


	110. Chapter 110: Edward

**A/N #1: I'm sure I don't even have to say it. This is a severe LEMON WARNING...you know, like a severe storm warning. And for you girls that read at work... You have been warned. LOL ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 10:22 P.M.**

"_Be ready for me, Sarge..."_

I scoffed, rolling my eyes at the closed door of the bathroom. Bella's teasing was unnecessary. I was so fucking ready for her that it was painful, as evidenced by my erection that was tenting the sheet I was using to cover up while leaning against the headboard.

When she finally emerged from the bathroom, I wanted to groan because the sight of her almost made me come right there. She'd pulled on my shirt from earlier, opting to only button the bottom few buttons, which left the most stunning vee of skin visible down the center of her torso, right between her breasts. The white material came to about mid-thigh on her, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

I'd told her once that the sexiest thing on a woman was a man's shirt. Apparently, she'd remembered. My eyes drank her in, my head shaking back and forth in denial, because it seemed fucking impossible that someone so beautiful, so silly, so sweet could be for me.

"God, Bella... You're killing me here," I groaned, waving her to me.

She sauntered over, and I couldn't help but smirk at her. "What's wrong, Sarge?"

Chuckling, I waved the question away. "Just get your sweet ass over here," I growled playfully at her, patting my lap. As she crawled up the bed, I whispered, "I had a dream like this once."

"Yeah?" she asked, biting her bottom lip as she braced herself on my thighs. "How'd that turn out, babe?"

Grinning, I simply said, "Messy."

Her laughter shook the bed as I tugged her closer, keeping her on her knees, which were planted on either side of mine. My fingers ghosted over all exposed skin – up her thighs, along her arms, across her collarbones, finally trailing down her sternum to her navel. I wanted to say something clever and funny, just to keep her laughter going, but I found that the feel of her, the sight of her in my shirt made my brain stop functioning.

"So fucking beautiful," I breathed, sitting up a little and taking her by the hips as I glided my nose up her neck to her ear. "This looks amazing on you – everything I thought it would and then some – but I want it..._off_."

Without removing my lips from her skin, my hands gripped the lapels of my shirt, giving it a swift and fierce tug. Buttons launched into my room somewhere, forever lost. And I didn't give a shit. Peeling it off of her, I tossed it somewhere onto the bed, but I was lost to pebbled nipples, goosebumps, and small, firm fingers threading into my hair just to keep my mouth on her skin. I licked, nipped, and suckled every inch I could reach, and I took my time.

My hands were a different story. They were everywhere – kneading, spreading, teasing – all while she still knelt over me.

"Mm," I hummed against her cheek, finally meeting her eyes. They were filled with heat, hunger, and so much love for me that it made my chest ache. "Sweet girl...so wet, love," I noted softly, nipping at her lips as my hands dipped between her legs from behind, "but I think we can do better than that. Don't you?"

Bella nodded, grasping my face with both hands and kissing me. She tasted like mint, like pure Bella, causing me to thread my fingers in her hair, just to take control, to slow her down. Too fast, and I wasn't going to last long...and I needed her so very wet with what I wanted to give her.

Kneading the cheeks of her ass one more time, I pulled back, pressing my forehead to hers. I locked gazes with dark, insatiable eyes. "Lay down on your stomach for me, baby. I want to try something."

With careful shifting, Bella lay across the bed, and I braced myself over her, planting one hand by her head. I shook my head slowly, because the sight before me was just stunning – pink, sun-kissed skin, all smooth and flawless, surrounded by a sea of rumpled blue sheets. The slope of her back, the roundness of her ass, and the cascade of mahogany hair that splashed off to one side was just about the closest thing to artwork I'd ever seen.

Bending down to press a long, open mouth kiss to the ink on her shoulder blade, I whispered, "You said you wanted me like this... Do you still?"

Her answer was a nod, a glance over her shoulder, and a sweet little whimper. "God, yes, Edward... Please," she sighed, her hips instinctively rising up off of the bed.

"Okay, but I need you wetter than this," I told her, my fingers gliding down her spine, between the cheeks of her ass, to her needy pussy. Slipping down her body, I lifted her hips up off the bed, spreading her legs a bit, which opened her up so perfectly that my moan echoed through the room and my dick twitched. Hard.

Placing a kiss on each cheek, I smiled when she arched up higher for me. Spreading her open even more, I licked her from one end to the other, pausing at her entrance just to swirl my tongue inside, just to taste her from the source, only to lick up to her other entrance. My girl moaned long and hard into the sheets, and I smiled against her flesh, replacing my tongue with my thumb.

"You like it when I play with your ass, love?" I asked, nipping at the back of her thigh at the same time my thumb swirled lightly over her entrance.

"Yes," she panted, calling out my name when I added my mouth into the mix.

It didn't take long for her body to give in. A finger working her clit, a thumb teasing her ass, and my mouth sucking, licking, and tasting her like a starving man, and she came hard on my tongue, the flavor of her that much more intense.

Testing her entrance, I crawled back up her body, bending down over her. "No one's taken you like this?" I asked her softly, dragging my teeth along her shoulder, my eyes on hers. "No one's taken you from behind?" I verified one more time, slipping my cock between her legs to coat myself in her juices as she panted, trying to come down from her orgasm.

"No, Edward... Please!"

"It'll be so tight, baby. I promise to go slow, okay?" I vowed to her, because I wasn't kidding. She was so very tight as it was. Taking her this way was going to be euphoria, but I could hurt her, too. Pushing myself up, I gripped her hips. "Oh, sweet girl." I chuckled darkly, shaking my head. "You have no idea how beautiful you look this way," I murmured, taking my hard-as-hell cock in one hand and gliding my hand up and down her back with the other. "You have to talk to me, baby," I commanded, slipping the head of my dick just inside her now soaking wet pussy. "I don't want to hurt you."

My eyes rolled back as I slowly slipped inside of her. Her insides clenched down on me, the angle so very fucking tight, just like I'd thought. I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to resist the instinct to slam into her or come at the feel of her. She felt too damned good.

Once my hips were flush to her ass, my breathing was labored because her insides were quivering around me. My hands grasped at her hips, probably too hard.

"Okay?" I gritted out through clenched teeth. It was taking all the control I had not to fuck her senseless. But her reply, cast over her shoulder with the sexiest fucking look I'd ever seen, just about ruined me.

Dark eyes glanced over me as she pushed herself up on her hands. "Move, Edward. Please, babe. I need more."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: O.o Right...if you're reading at work... I told youuuu! LOL And we're still not done with these two.**

**There is a pic tease for this chapter. It's on my blog and FB – but not Jenny's site because it's too racy. ;)**

**Thanks to all of you that ranted at, cried with, and nodded in understanding along with Bella. Jenny and I did all those same things when we wrote it. It's hard to imagine someone giving everything up for you...good memories or bad. That's what Bella was battling in her mind.**

**Now, I know you're dying to click next...go on.**

**Mooches, Deb. :)**


	111. Chapter 111: Bella

**A/N #1: And now you see why we didn't want to split it up. ;) Can't very well split up a lemon, can we? *grin* Ok, go on. Finish reading!**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 10:43 P.M.**

By the time Edward slid all the way inside me, I felt like I was going to go up in flames. It had started with our flirting and all the sexual innuendos earlier in the evening, and then when I came out of the bathroom in only his shirt, the heat in his eyes and hunger in his expression just ramped up my desire even more. And damn, if the man didn't know what he was doing with his mouth and hands. Every touch, every stroke, every slide against skin made me burn hotter and hotter until I felt like I had reached my breaking point.

Pushing myself up on my hands, I took a deep breath to get my voice under control and then turned to look over my shoulder, begging, "Move, Edward. Please, babe. I need more."

Edward's hands tightened even more on my hips—I knew I might have bruises tomorrow, but I couldn't care less—and slowly, he began inching out of me until all that was left inside me was the head of his cock.

"Fuck, Isabella," he groaned. "You're so fucking tight like this. It's like you're gripping me with your fist. Are you okay?"

In answer, I squeezed my muscles around him and thrust my hips back, sending him all the way back in until the hair on his thighs was tickling my ass.

The strangled noise that erupted from him echoed the one in my head.

"Oh, God! More, please. Just fuck me, E-Edward!" I really was begging now. I felt like my body was crying out, aching for him to move.

That was all the encouragement he must have needed because with one last growl, Edward pulled out, thrusting back in hard.

"Yes!" I hissed, throwing my head back and rocking my hips in time with his thrusts.

With the rhythm Edward set, the way his body slammed into mine, our now sweat-slicked skin slapping against one another, it didn't take me long until I felt the flutterings of my first orgasm. From this position, his cock was hitting so deep inside me and just at the right spot. With a gasping cry, I flew over the edge, Edward's name falling from my lips.

Edward waited until I'd relaxed some around him and then slowed his strokes, a slow, even pace that did nothing to lessen how his body was making me feel.

"I love hearing you come," Edward told me, his voice husky. "To know I made you feel that good..."

His words shot bolts of lust from my ears to my clit, and I felt my pussy squeeze him in response, pulling a groan from both of us.

"Can you give me another one, sweet girl? I want to feel you come around me again."

"Yes," I whimpered after a hard thrust. "Fuck, Edward..."

I felt one hand leave my hip, and then I gasped when I felt him teasing my back entrance. I'd had no idea that I would like the idea of him playing with me there, but the first time he'd touched me, it had shocked me with the intensity I'd felt.

When Edward pulled completely out of me, I whined deep in my throat, looking over my shoulder at him.

"Relax, Isabella," he crooned, before slipping his finger from my ass up to my pussy, teasing my clit until I looked back around, relaxing into his touch. "Good girl." He hummed as he dipped his finger into my slit, pumping a few times and stroking my insides.

When he pulled his hand back, his cock filled me before I could even make a sound. after a few strokes, I felt his finger, now wet from my arousal, at my ass again.

"Tell me to stop and I will," he promised, his voice gruff, and at my nod and whimper of understanding, I felt his finger pressing gently against the tight ring of muscles to my anus.

"Ohh, fuck!" I gasped, clenching my eyes shut.

"Relax, love," he murmured, his other hand moving around to find my clit.

As he stroked the sensitive nerves, I felt myself following his command, and with a bit more pressure, just the tip of his finger pushed into my ass.

"Feel that, Isabella?" he asked, his voice dark. "Relax more. Let me in."

I felt almost like I couldn't get enough oxygen as his cock worked my pussy in a slow and steady rhythm, matched by his finger on my clit as his other finger slowly pushed in to the first knuckle.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I groaned as he slowly began moving just the tip of his finger in and out, matching the slow pace set by his hips. My whole body was on a razor's edge, and I knew it wouldn't take long to send me over.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked around gritted teeth.

"Oh God, yes! Edward, please..."

He began to thrust a little harder again, still keeping the movements of his finger in my ass slow and easy. When he rolled my clit between his fingers and slid the finger in my ass to the second knuckle, pleasure rolled over me in waves, pulling me down until I thought I would drown in it.

I cried out his name once more, my orgasm hitting me from every angle.

That must have been enough for Edward because with a long, loud groan, he pulled his finger from my ass and thrust hard until his hips were flush against me, falling over the edge with me. My name had never sounded as sexy as it did when he gasped it, and I felt him pulse inside me as he came.

After a minute, Edward groaned, pulling back and leaving me feeling empty as he crashed to the bed beside me. "Come here, love..." His hands reached for me, his eyes hooded and worried.

I went willingly into his arms, sliding down beside him and wrapping myself around him.

"Are you okay?" He gazed into my eyes as I looked up at him, smiling.

"I'm perfect," I answered honestly, not feeling any discomfort or soreness. "That was...amazing," I finally settled on.

Sighing, he nodded as he tucked me against him, his chin on my head, which was resting on his chest. "How it gets better every time, I don't have a clue, but I'm damn well not going to question it."

"Me, either," I sighed, pressing a kiss to his chest, tasting the tang of sweat and simply Edward. Laughing, I sat up, ignoring the few twinges the new position gave me. "Come on, Sarge. Shower time. We're both icky."

He laughed, nodding. "But it was so damn worth it."

"Mmm," I agreed, kissing him when he sat up.

"First one to the shower," he murmured against my lips, "gets soaped up first."

With a grin, he jumped back and off the bed, hightailing it to the bathroom and leaving me to scramble off the bed behind him.

I giggled, knowing I'd have let him win anyway – I just loved to watch him walk away naked. I heard him doing a victory chant once he'd turned on the water in the shower. Shaking my head, I moved to the bathroom to join him, and my giggle turned to a full-fledged laugh when I walked in to find him doing a weird dance like football players who had just scored a touchdown.

Reaching up to tangle my fingers in his hair, I pulled him down to where he was hovering just over my lips. "I love you, Edward Masen," I said with a giggle, kissing him once as his own smile widened.

"Love you, too, beautiful. Now get your naked ass into the shower. I believe you owe me a prize." His eyes were alight with happiness, love nearly pouring out of him.

I had to swallow back the sadness that washed over me as I realized I had two more days with this man before we would be separated for another three months. Realizing that now was not the time to wallow, I shook it off and grinned, stepping into the shower and pulling him in with me.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Gah. Sarge can turn just about anyone to a puddle of goo, right? And who WOULDN'T want to watch him walk away? ;)**

**Ok, so we're two days away from the girls having to leave Florida. :( Someone asked how long this story is going to be. I can't (well, I CAN, but I'm not going to. ;) ) give you an exact number of chapters, but we're over 65 percent done with it. There's lots more to go. I will say that the story continues after Sarge & the boys get home. So not all of that 35 percent is with them apart. Ok? :)**

**Now, leave some love if you feel so inclined and then read on for the last chapter of the day. *hugs* – Jenny**


	112. Chapter 112: Edward

**A/N #1: You have no idea how badly I wanna see Sarge do a naked touchdown dance. O.O Umm... Yeah. My brain sort of short circuits when I try to imagine it. Now that we've completely run out of Shanties, let's check it with the guys.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Thursday, July 1, 2010 at 7:28 A.M.**

"We could stay on base, you know," Emmett suggested as we walked around Bayshore to cool down from our run.

"Nah, man. Just beers, dogs, and chips at home. I'll make my chili for the dogs, okay?" Jasper said, his breathing still heavy. "I don't wanna go anywhere on the Fourth."

Grimacing, I said nothing because the Fourth meant the first day learning to survive a hundred days without Bella – so at the moment, celebrating the reason behind the holiday with a quiet night at home sounded better than loud and social.

I ran my fingers through my hair, thinking maybe I needed to buzz it one more time just to survive the summer in Florida. But not until Bella left – my heart failing one or two beats at the thought – because my girl's fingers felt like fucking heaven in it. I wasn't really sure she'd care, but I did.

As we made our way up our street, the conversation changed to talk of the beach. Since I'd been able to beg Friday off for all of us, it was something we chattered about nonstop. I'd personally never been to the beach – aside from what I'd seen on base – so Jasper had asked around. Clearwater Beach's Caladesi Island had been the one most recommended, so that's where we'd decided to go.

My hand reached for the front door, and I couldn't help but smile at the girls' laughter.

"They're up early," Jasper chuckled, shaking his head.

We walked in to find them still dressed in pajamas, which mostly consisted of overly large T-shirts over shorts – our shirts, I had no doubt. Rose and Bella had their hair tossed up in long ponytails whereas Alice's hardly looked any different than its usual funky style. Rose and Alice were sitting at the counter while Bella leaned against it from the other side, all three holding mugs of coffee. They'd finally bought enough shit to put in it for their taste, including different creamers, ranging from French Vanilla to Almond-fucking-Joy.

"God, you guys look like you're about to melt to death," Alice giggled.

"It's fucking hot out there," Emmett countered. "And it's not even eight o'clock!"

"Damned humidity," I added, shaking my head and opening the fridge for bottles of water. Once I'd passed them out to the guys, I downed most of mine in one long draw, finally kissing the side of Bella's head. "Morning, love."

"Morning, babe. Coffee?" she asked, and I peered into her mug, grimacing at the light brown liquid inside of it. Her giggle made me smile.

"Not like that," I stated, pointing to her hands. "Wimp's coffee."

"Shut it," she laughed, poking my bare chest. "Not everyone can just chew the beans and go about their day."

Laughing, I kissed her head again. "Desperate times called for desperate measures, sweet girl. Don't judge me!" I teased as she spun to pour three more mugs, leaving it black. "But yes, I'd love some."

"What's got you girls up so early?" Jasper asked, taking a cup and sitting next to Alice.

"A few chores here and there," Rose said, but I got the impression it was something they weren't willing to discuss.

"And we wanted to ask you something," Alice added, grinning over at her husband. "We wanted to know if you'd be willing to go get pictures done. You know, document the trip. And you and I haven't had any made for years."

"You want a poster for the bedroom, babes?" Emmett asked Rose with a cheesy-as-hell grin, flexing both arms. "Get the camera. This'll work!"

"No!" she laughed, smacking at him and rolling her eyes. "Real ones. Formal ones."

I turned to Bella, who was leaning a hip against the counter, and matched her position. "I thought you already had a poster made," I chuckled, winking at her when a loud laugh barked out of her.

"Don't tempt me," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "That picture is still in my phone. I'll do it; don't think I won't!"

I shrugged, thinking if my girl wanted a giant ass picture of me in my underwear, then so be it. "Do what you want, Bella," I chuckled, taking a sip of coffee. "I don't care."

"Well, we _want_ these pictures," Rose urged, looking around at the lot of us. "Please?"

"When?" Jasper asked the question that was on the tip of my tongue.

"Today when you get done at work," Bella said, and I could tell this was important to her, too. "We can meet you there, bring your clothes..."

"Clothes!" Emmett squawked. "You mean...dressy shit?"

Laughing, I shook my head, but I could tell this meant a lot to all three of them. To be honest, it sounded great. I'd never had pictures taken with any woman, other than Tanya for dances at school, and just the idea of having something tangible as a reminder of the best two weeks of my life made me completely fucking cave – as did the sweet, silently begging brown eyes gazing up at me.

"Fine. Do it. Set it up. Just...tell me where and when, beautiful," I told her, raising an eyebrow at Emmett when he started to argue. "Shut up and do it," I told him, looking at him like he'd lost his mind, but he merely laughed. Turning back to Bella, I kissed her forehead. "I'd better get a shower."

By the time I stepped out of my bathroom in just my underwear, I found Bella rummaging through my closet. Chuckling, I asked, "You gonna dress me, too?"

Her sweet giggle was muted as she practically crawled all the way inside the tiny closet. "No! Well, okay...yeah. I'm wearing red, so I thought..."

"We'd match?" I laughed. "Really?"

"Coordinate," she corrected, finally peeking out of the closet door. Grinning like the fucking Cheshire Cat, she gestured up and down my body. "That beats a poster any day, babe. Mmm, and I believe those are the exact pair you wore in my picture."

Glancing down at myself, I shrugged. "If you say so."

"Let's look!" she giggled, diving for her phone, but I caught her.

"Nah, let's not," I growled dramatically in her ear as I tackled her gently to the bed, and she immediately wrapped her arms and legs around me. "You seem to like..._live_ performances..."

"Mmm_hmm_," she purred, trailing her nose up one side of mine and down the other. "I do. I'm all out of ones, though, handsome," she sighed, feigning disappointment as her hands slipped under the waistband of my boxer-briefs to cup my ass. "No tip for you..."

"I've got your tip," I laughed against the sweet skin of her neck. She hadn't showered yet, so she still smelled like me, flowers, and sex. It was a heady scent on her.

"No!" She broke into hysterics. "You'll be late, Edward. And you're teasing. I'd rather you take your time."

Chuckling, I sat up after dropping a heavy kiss to her lips. Just looking at her, I wasn't sure how I'd survive my mornings after she left. Bending down, I lifted her shirt, placing a long, slow kiss to her stomach.

"I love you," I sighed in complete and utter contentment.

"Love you. Get dressed," she whispered, threading her fingers through my hair.

Yeah, that shit wasn't getting buzzed until she'd gone home.

"Okay," I whispered back, finally standing up from the bed and leaving her there as she breathed heavily. "Just..." I gestured to the closet. "Pick anything for those pictures, sweetheart. I trust you."

Her smile was sweet, stunning, and almost made me crawl back into bed with her. "Sure, Sarge. No problem."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So pictures are next. We'll have teasers for that, trust me.**

**Also, a number of you have asked if the boys get leave. It wasn't anything we addressed, and I'll tell you why. When we started this story, Sarge had 6 months left of his tour. Now, all 3 boys will be discharged come October. Prior to Sarge and Bella meeting, a leave was impossible, really. From this point on, I don't want to ruin it for you. There is plenty left to this story, including some surprises along the way. Some things you wanted from the beginning will be addressed before the end. Okay?**

**I hope you guys liked your surprise Monday morning double post. We knew you'd die if we split up that lemon. LOL It's not about rushing through to the end; it's about keeping the flow of the story. For those really rare few that don't like the double posts... Maybe save them? I don't know. Anyway, we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	113. Chapter 113: Bella

**A/N #1: So glad you guys liked the last set of chapters. Thank you so much for the great comments you left! Now, the gang is getting ready for pictures, so... :)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Thursday, July 1, 2010 at 10:14 A.M.**

The girls and I were already hard at work in the kitchen by nine o'clock. Edward had left me sprawled on the bed when he'd gone to work, giving me one last kiss. I'd stayed there in the quiet of the bedroom, wrapped in his shirt and the scent of him – of us – in the sheets, until Rose had come and knocked on the door, seeing if I'd gone back to sleep.

"Okay, so we have ten freezer bags full of different soups and chilis, right?" Alice asked, looking down at the paper in front of her as she marked off muffins from the list, because we'd done those the minutes the boys had left for work.

Opening the freezer door, I did a quick count and then nodded. "Yup, ten. Plus two lasagnas, a tuna noodle casserole, and a roasted tomatillo and chicken chilaquiles."

"What else are we doing?" Rose asked, sipping from her mug of coffee and looking over Alice's shoulder at the list.

"Beef stew is the main thing today, because that will take the longest," I said, closing the freezer and opening the fridge. "I also want to make my fish cakes, meatloaf, the filling for the chicken pot pie that the guys can add a pie crust to later, and chicken florentine rice casserole."

Alice laughed. "That should all last them a week or two."

I sighed. "I know. It's not enough, but it's the least I can do," I said, thumping my head to the freezer door.

"Bells..." Rose moved up to me and rubbed her hand up and down my back. "They'll love it, I promise. You know how much Em loves the tuna noodle stuff, and the chilaquiles are one of Jasper's favorites. And you know your man will like anything you damn well make," she teased. "So chill out."

Shaking my head, I sighed again. "I know, I know. I'm just thinking about Saturday. I hate the thought of leaving."

"Believe me, sweetie, we understand," Alice said, joining us and wrapping an arm around both of us. "But I promise, you'll get through it, and then..." She sighed, squeezing my waist. "Then? Our boys will come home for good."

The thought of Edward coming home to me permanently was enough to chase away all the negative thoughts for the moment, so I smiled and stood up straight, hugging my friends to me.

"Thanks, guys. Now, let's get to it!"

Since the stew took the longest, we started with it. Once the lid was on and the stew ready to cook for the first hour and a half, I pulled out the ingredients for the fish cakes. Sitting down at the table with the girls, I started tearing the sandwich bread into pieces to make into breadcrumbs.

While I worked, Alice opened my laptop, which I'd brought in with me earlier. After a few minutes of searching and scribbling notes onto another sheet of paper from her notebook, she said, "Okay, I have a few numbers to call about pictures, so I'm going to go into the living room and make some calls."

"What can I do, Bells?" Rose asked, looking down at our list of meals.

"Get out the food processor, please." I pointed to the lower corner cabinet. "I need to grind these up, and then the rest is done in there, too."

We were in the middle of forming the fish cakes when Alice walked back in with a triumphant smile, waving the paper around. "Got it! Six o'clock. That should give the guys time to grab a shower on base before meeting us at the photography studio." She looked at our hands, which were covered in the fish cake mixture, and chuckled. "I'll text that info to the guys."

"Thanks," Rose and I told her, grinning when we said it in unison.

"Okay, back to work," I said, laughing.

~oooOOOooo~

By four thirty, all the food we'd planned to make was done and in the freezer. Rose was already in the second bathroom, taking her shower. Her hair, longer and thicker than mine, took the longest to dry and style, so she had wanted to get started first.

"I'm going to take a shower," I told Alice, grabbing my phone from the table.

She waved me off, barely looking up from the magazine she was flipping through.

On my way back to the bedroom, I texted Edward.

_B: Getting in the shower so I can get ready for pictures. Your clothes are ironed and ready. You guys are planning to shower there?_

I took my phone into the bathroom with me in case Edward called, but honestly, I didn't expect to hear from him until after five o'clock. I didn't rush through my shower, but I didn't draw it out, either. After washing my hair, I exfoliated, moisturized, used my strawberry-scented body wash that Edward seemed to enjoy smelling on me, and then I climbed out of the shower, wrapping one towel around my hair and another around my body. Picking up my phone to go back into the bedroom, I saw that I had a text waiting.

_E: Yes, ma'am. I have a pair of jeans and a T-shirt to wear over to the studio. Don't forget dress socks and shoes. (Although, I have a feeling that if nothing else, Alice wouldn't let you! **laugh**) Love you, sweetheart. Emmett's done in the shower, so I'm heading in next. See you in a few._

Smiling, I reached into the closet and grabbed his black dress shoes before I had a chance to forget. I doubted we'd get a shot where our feet would be showing, but God forbid we did and we weren't prepared. Alice would never let us live it down. Socks from the dresser went into the shoes, and then I turned my attention to my own wardrobe.

I planned to take a white dress to change into for a few pictures, as well, so I was going to keep my lingerie simple with a white lacy bra and white boy shorts. That way nothing showed up through my clothes. Once those were on, I went back to the bathroom to fix my hair and makeup.

Almost forty-five minutes later, I was dressed and ready, so I grabbed Edward's shoes, my dress bag, and purse with my phone, wallet, comb, and lipstick. I met the girls in the hall and held out the bag. They each had a second dress in their hands to put in with mine.

After compliments all around, we made our way out to the car. Alice had looked up directions, so she was going to drive. Rose sat in the passenger seat since she could work the GPS best, and then we were off. It was about a thirty minute drive according to the map from Google and the GPS once Rose had put the address in, so I just sat back and relaxed.

~oooOOOooo~

"Oh, hell..." I groaned, watching Edward walk back out of the dressing room in the studio in the black on black I'd picked for him to wear. A simple black dress shirt, top button undone, paired with a black jacket and black dress slacks all combined to make him look deadly sexy. He had used words like stunning and beautiful when he saw me get out of the car, but I had nothing on the man in front of me.

"Oh, good!" the perky little blonde assistant said when Edward had made his way to stand by my side. "You guys are up first since you're ready."

By the time the photographer posed us the way he wanted us, I could tell Edward was really uncomfortable. I was sitting on a stool with him on a slightly taller one behind me, in one of those classic poses. Edward's hand, which was resting on my shoulder, wasn't relaxed. When I looked back at him, I could tell that he was tensed up all over.

"You okay, babe?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded stiffly. "Just making sure he gets a good picture."

Shaking my head, I turned back and smiled, waiting for the camera to flash. As the photographer adjusted lights and the background, I realized Edward was still still as a board. I knew that would make for...not-so-great pictures, so I called a halt to everything.

"Can we just stand up instead of sitting?" I asked the photographer, who agreed with a nod and a smile.

Once the stools were moved away, I stood in front of Edward, leaning my shoulder onto his chest and tilting my head toward his. The photographer took a few test shots and asked if I'd like to see them. When I said yes, he brought the camera to us and let me flip through the pictures.

Edward still looked really uncomfortable.

"Thanks. Give us a second," I told the photographer, who moved back to his spot to wait.

Turning, I slid my arms around Edward's waist. "Babe, you have to lighten up. This isn't a life or death situation. I know you can relax in front of the camera. I've seen it, remember?" I teased, waiting until he'd cracked a genuine smile. "See? There it is!"

He chuckled, spinning me back around. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he seemed to take a slow, deep breath, and then he said, "Let's do this."

Whatever had made him decide to relax had worked because for the next ten minutes, the photographer all but shouted out commands, and we followed, both relaxed and having fun. There was one picture I was sure would be a bust, because I had reached up to try to get my fingers into Edward's hair, and both of us were looking down, but the photographer had declared it perfect.

While Alice, Rose, and their husbands got their first set of photos taken, I changed into the slightly more casual white dress I'd brought. Then I combed my hair so it looked a little more relaxed and not so "done up."

"Take off your jacket for these," I requested, tugging at his lapel.

"'Kay," he agreed, taking it off and draping it over the back of the chair. "This dress is pretty, too. Really shows off the tan you've managed to get since you've been here." His finger traced along the top edge, making me break out in goose bumps.

Nodding, I said with a grin, "I thought it would."

When Rose and Emmett were done, the photographer called us in again. Edward explained we wanted these to be a little more casual and sweet, not as formal, and he nodded, telling us he understood.

Fifteen minutes later, he stepped back and motioned us over. "I think that's good. We got some great shots."

He showed us a few of the images, including the one that I knew would be my favorite, before sending them to the computer for his assistant to help us with our ordering.

"I like this one," Edward said a few minutes later.

He was pointing to the one I'd noticed on the camera before. In it, he had an arm stretched around the front of my waist, his hands clasped on my other hip. One of my hands was tucked into his, and his head was tilted into mine. I had a small smile on my face, but Edward's sweet, sexy half-smirk, half-smile just melted my heart and made me fall in love with him all over again.

Cupping his face, I leaned in and gave him a sweet kiss. "Love you," I murmured against his lips.

Turning back to the woman at the computer, I pointed to not only that last picture, but the others I liked, and said, "We'll take these."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Poor Sarge was so stiff and formal at first. lol You can see what we based these pictures off of on Deb's blog, Facebook, & my site, so check our profile for links.**

**Surprise! It's another double posting day! The kids are going to the beach again, and we didn't want to split that up.**

**Leave some love & then head on over to see what Sarge has to say. :) – Jenny**


	114. Chapter 114: Edward

**A/N #1: Beach time! :) Caladesi Island is beautiful. There are pics of it on my blog, Jenny's site, and FB, so check our profile for links. Sarge and Bella's time is ticking, so I'll let you get on with it.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, July 2, 2010 at 9:46 A.M.**

"Christ, Em... It's like packing to take a kid to the beach!" Rose complained as she set a bag down by the front door. "Footballs, snorkels, flippers... Did you put water wings in there, too?" she snarked down the hallway.

"They don't make 'em in my size," he stated without missing a beat while bending his giant ass bicep up into the biggest muscle he could make.

Grinning, I just shook my head and went back to the piano. I had the volume down low enough that it hadn't disturbed anyone's sleep when I'd first gotten up but just loud enough that Bella could now hear it from the kitchen as she made breakfast.

"Ow! Dammit!" Bella hissed, and when I looked up, she was giving the pan of bacon a scathing look, like it had personally offended her.

By the time I made it to her, she'd turned off the burner and pulled the pan off to cool, a hot pile of bacon ready on a plate, but it was the way she was holding her arm that made me go to her. She was wearing one of my T-shirts tied in a knot in the back and small denim shorts, and I knew for a fact that her bikini was on underneath it all.

"Let me see," I said, holding out my hand. She set her hand in mine, and clearly, there was a small burn on the back of it near her wrist.

"Babe, I'm okay," she chuckled, rolling her eyes up to mine. "It's not the worst cooking injury I've ever gotten."

"It is since you've been with me," I said with a smile as I scooped her up and set her ass onto the counter. "Humor me, Bella. Don't move!" I ordered gruffly, pointing a finger at her and smiling at her giggle.

Turning to the fridge, I opened the freezer door and grabbed an ice cube, stopping to take in just how fucking packed it was. I spun back to my girl, setting the ice cube gently on the rather angry looking red spot on her hand. It was no bigger than the eraser of a pencil, but I didn't care. Any excuse to care for her, to touch her...it was all I wanted. Time was ticking, and I was hating every motherfucking second of it.

"There's enough food in there to feed an army, Miss Swan," I said, my voice coming out almost scolding.

"You are the Army," she giggled, biting her bottom lip and fiddling with the dog tags around my neck with her free hand.

"I'm _in_ the Army, sweet girl," I laughed, shaking my head, my focus on her tiny wound. "There's a difference."

She was quiet for a moment, and I locked sights on her face, but she wouldn't look at me.

"Bella?"

"We wanted to make sure you guys had real food. Not fast food or frozen pizzas. I doubt it'll last the week after we're gone, but..." Her nose wrinkled adorably, but she let out a long, sad sigh. Then, she started rambling nervously. "It's all labeled, with instructions on how to heat it up. You should handle it okay...it's microwavable. I promise to overnight cookies all the time..."

It was that last line that shattered my heart. Tossing the ice cube into the sink, I cupped her face.

"Stop," I whispered against her forehead. "It's okay, love. I understand." I sighed, pulling back to lock eyes with worried, sad, and a touch watery. "Not today. Okay? But thank you," I said, jerking a thumb back toward the fridge. "I'll try to make sure they ration your meals in some sort of logical type fashion..."

She smiled despite how she was clinging to me. "They will eat it all in one sitting."

"Trust me, I know," I chuckled. "Did you do all of that yesterday?"

"No... Well, yes, some of it. I've been storing it away like a squirrel all week." She giggled, shrugging one shoulder.

"Just a squirrel...tryin' to get a nut," Emmett sang as he and the rest of the gang joined us. "Why are you a rodent, Bellsy?" he asked, and she just rolled her eyes, slipping down to the floor.

He and Jasper gave each other a fist bump as they sat down at the counter, but I opened the freezer door to show them what she and the girls had done.

"Oh," they both muttered, their faces filled with shock, instant hunger, and a touch of sadness, I noted.

"What's in there?" Emmett asked, pouring himself some juice.

"All your favorites," every last girl stated.

"And some new ones," Bella added, sitting down with her plate.

"Thanks, ladies," Jasper stated in a sincere tone, his eyes lingering on the fridge before he leaned over to ruffle Bella's hair and then kiss his wife's cheek.

I bent to Bella's ear. "This conversation isn't over, Isabella. Just on hold. I want to play with you today, not dwell on what happens tomorrow. Okay?" I asked.

She nodded, leaning into my kiss to her ear.

"I love you so fucking much, sweetheart. And thank you again."

She turned, kissing my lips quickly, and she smiled against my lips when I chuckled in surprise. "Love you, too. And you're welcome."

~oooOOOooo~

Christ, I didn't know what was more beautiful – the ocean view or the brunette currently stripping down to the sweet blue bikini that hugged her curves in the most sinful of ways.

_Definitely the brunette._

When I was totally busted ogling her, I grinned, shrugged, and turned my attention to the beach. It was my first time _really_ seeing the ocean, because I hadn't paid attention the day the girls had come on base, and it was a little intimidating. I'd flown over it, seen it on TV and movies, and read about it, but to actually stand in front of it made me feel extremely small and insignificant. It went on forever, a deep bluish-green that met what looked like the end of the world. Bright blue sky filled with white, puffy clouds sat down on the healthy green water of the Gulf of Mexico. Small foamy waves, no higher than my thigh, crashed down onto white sand, causing small sea birds to run away from it, only to run back toward it. It was a constant push and pull of water and birds.

And the smell... It was clean, but thick, salty air, with a hint of a million different suntan lotions because the beach was pretty damn packed. But it was also filled with trees, flowers, and just plain sunshine. The beaches of Clearwater were different than even those on the base, because the base was located on Tampa Bay. This was right on the Gulf.

"Have you been in it yet?" Bella asked softly beside me.

I glanced down at her and shook my head no.

"It's warm. Not like the beaches at home."

"No shit?" Emmett asked, reaching back to tug his shirt off over his head.

I did the same, dropping it to one of the blankets the girls had laid down. "Come in with me," I requested, holding out my hand, but all three girls seemed to have locked their sights on something which was causing their mouths to fall open.

Emmett looked to see what was going on. "Oh, damn..." He chuckled before singing, "I'm too sexy..."

I had to laugh because the man was oblivious to the stares. It was like Humpty Dumpty had put on a Speedo and baked in the sun for _years_. He was a walking ad for what not to do for skin care. Not only that, but he had to have been pushing seventy. But it was his blatant staring at every woman younger than him, his pompous strut, and his sun-weathered skin that had most everyone around us grinning.

"Wow," Bella chuckled, shaking her head.

Chuckling, I scooped her up. "Will you still love me when I look like that?" I asked in her ear as I walked her squealing and kicking toward the water.

That question only caused her to laugh harder, her head falling back. "You gonna wear bikinis, too, babe?"

"Maybe," I chuckled against her throat, dragging my teeth along her skin lightly. "Answer me, Isabella."

"Yes!" she snorted, rolling her eyes at me and then looking down at the water. She turned back to me, saying, "I'll love you no matter what you wear...even if it shows off your great, big..._personality_."

She grinned a silly-as-hell smile, starting to wrap her arms around my neck, but chuckling, I tossed her ass into the water. Her scream cut off as soon as she disappeared underwater. But I wasn't fucking stupid, either. I knew what she would do, so as soon as small, strong hands gripped my boardshorts to tug them down, I grabbed her wrists and pulled her up.

"Oh, I don't think so, naughty girl," I snorted, sinking down into the warm water.

She wrapped herself around me, feeling weightless as I carried her farther out. "Damn, I was gonna get an underwater peek," she giggled, pressing her lips to mine.

"I'll give you a _peek_ anytime you want, beautiful, just not when kids and old ladies are lookin'," I crooned in her ear as I kissed down her neck, taking in the salty taste of her.

"Or the guys...and _definitely_ not other women..." she purred, smiling against my jaw.

"Definitely," I agreed, smirking at the possessive tone coming through, my hands skimming over every inch of skin that I could under the water. "Mm, but this is...fan-fucking-tastic. And boy oh boy, do I like you wet," I rumbled, slipping underneath her bottoms in order to squeeze pure Bella.

She laughed, and we both looked up when our names were called. "It's gonna be a long day, Edward, if you keep that up."

"Keep what up?" I asked innocently, grinding her down over my hardening cock.

"That!" she laughed, splashing me in the face and swimming away. "Come on, babe. They want us to play football."

Groaning, I did what she wanted because I couldn't help but follow her. However, she was right. It was going to be a long damn day watching her in that bathing suit.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: If you hadn't figured it out yet, it's another double post day. And more beach to come, so go ahead and dive on in. LOL ;) Yeah, terrible pun. My bad...just go! :D**

**Mooches, Deb. :)**


	115. Chapter 115: Bella

**A/N #1: Fun in the sun, right? Be sure to check out all the beach pics. Links are on our profile. :)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, July 2, 2010 at 1:33 P.M.**

I handed Edward the bottle lotion and asked, "Put more sunscreen on me, please?"

We'd been at the beach for about three hours and had just finished lunch. The others had gone off to swim and play on their own, leaving Edward and me with all the towels. Alice and Jasper had promised to be back to relieve us after an hour. We had spent the last forty-five minutes sitting under the beach umbrella, with me between his legs and my back to his front, people watching and talking about anything and everything. It seemed the first thing he wanted to do after moving in and meeting Charlie was to get a kitten – a black one with a single white paw, if possible – which had earned him a big kiss for being too damn adorable.

I felt Edward shift behind me and then heard the pop of the lid from the plastic bottle as he opened the coconut-scented lotion.

"Want to go for a walk first and then hit the water?" he asked as he rubbed the lotion into the skin of my back, starting just above the top of my bikini bottoms.

"Mm," I said in answer, dropping my head forward. He was massaging the lotion in, and his hands felt too damn good to answer any other way.

When his hands snaked around my waist, I raised my head, leaning back against his shoulder. He rubbed the lotion into my stomach before slipping up to my ribcage. I groaned softly when his thumbs slid under the band of my bikini top, caressing the skin there.

"Too bad this is a public beach," he murmured in my ear, capturing my earlobe between his teeth for a moment. "Sometime in the future, we'll have to find someplace private so this"—he rubbed the fabric covering my breasts—"doesn't have to be in the way."

I squeaked out a reply as his hands moved away.

"Time for the legs," he said calmly, as if he hadn't just been teasing me about taking off my bikini top. When he came around in front of me, he smirked at the disgruntled expression on my face. "Sorry, beautiful. Should I not tease?"

I giggled and pointed to my legs. "Just do your job, Masen. Don't worry about me." _I'll get him back when it's his turn for more lotion,_ I thought to myself, grinning.

Edward continued his teasing as he rubbed lotion into the front half of my legs. As his hands reached my thighs, his fingers brushed against my mound, just light enough to seem accidental, but with enough pressure that I knew it wasn't.

I raised an eyebrow when he looked up at me innocently.

"Oops?" Grinning, he said, "Lie down and turn over so I can get the backs."

Chuckling, I told him, "No funny business, Sarge."

He raised three fingers. "Scout's honor."

Snorting, I shook my head. "You were never a Boy Scout."

"I was, too!" he protested. "Okay, so it was only a year, and it was Cub Scouts, but that qualifies."

I could feel my face scrunch as I tried to imagine him in one of those cute little uniforms.

Edward just laughed and motioned with his hand for me to turn, so I flipped over to lie on my stomach.

Why I'd expected him to behave, I didn't know, but I jumped when his fingers brushed between my legs again. I gasped, and when he pressed harder for a moment, it turned into a groan. Just as quickly, he pulled away, giving my ass a swat as he got down to the towel beside me.

_Ahh, time for my revenge._

Giving him a wicked smirk, I said, "Your turn. Lie down."

His cocky look that said, "Do your worst," spurred me on, so I grabbed the sunscreen and moved to his feet. I was very careful to keep my touches family friendly, even at his thighs, keeping my fingers to just under the edge of his boardshorts.

_And then I played dirty._

Pushing myself up, I moved one leg over his body, straddling him and putting our hips right in line with one another.

His strangled groan and closed eyes told me I'd called his bluff well.

"Problem?" I asked, squeezing more lotion into my hand and leaning forward to reach his chest and stomach.

Edward sucked his lower lip between his teeth and shook his head.

"Good," I teased, wiggling my hips a little and feeling his cock harden between us. "Seems someone likes this position."

He just groaned again, his chest rising and falling a little faster under my hands.

When I'd rubbed lotion into his shoulders, chest, and abs, I pushed myself to my feet. "Turn over," I instructed, holding back a giggle when he looked pointedly down at his now prominent bulge.

"Fuck," he hissed quietly, reaching between his body and the ground, adjusting himself.

"Problem?" I questioned, knowing exactly what his problem was.

"Just you wait, Miss Swan," he playfully threatened.

I moved down to his feet and rubbed lotion into the back of his legs, massaging as I went. One thing I'd learned over our two weeks in Florida was that my Edward loved getting his feet and legs massaged. He would never ask for it, but I'd done it a few times, and every time, I could tell he enjoyed it.

Once I'd done his legs, I moved back up his body and lowered myself to sit on his ass. He groaned again as I pressed him into the sand.

"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" he asked when I leaned forward to reach his shoulders, my breasts flattening against his back.

"Nope," I answered, placing a kiss to his upper back before smoothing the lotion down his spine. "Just make you want me that much more."

His laugh jostled me enough that I had to brace my feet so as not to fall off. "As if that's possible," he said, no hint of teasing in his voice.

I swallowed the drool that was threatening to spill from my mouth, finishing his massage quickly. There was only so much teasing I could take – giving or receiving – before I really jumped him.

Thankfully, Alice and Jasper were within view, so I waved and motioned between the beach and us. Alice nodded, letting me know she'd understood.

"Come on," I said, poking his hip with my toe. "Ali and Jazz are back. Let's go for a swim."

Edward flipped over onto his back, and then, looking down at his still-hard cock pressing against the front of his trunks, he said, "You'd better run, Isabella... If I catch you, you're going to pay for getting me into this state."

When he looked back up at me, the heat in his eyes nearly made me melt. He wasn't kidding...

I spun on my heels, racing down the beach, through the crowds, squealing when I looked back to see him jogging after me, rapidly gaining ground. I worked out and even ran occasionally, but Edward's daily morning runs and time in the military made him completely out of my league. So it was no surprise when I felt him scoop me into his arms.

"Put me down!" I ordered playfully.

Ignoring me, he walked with me out into the water, getting deeper and deeper, until the waves were brushing against my behind.

"Edward Anthony Masen, don't you da—!"

I came up sputtering for the second time since getting to the beach. Laughing, I threw myself at him. "Seems like we've been in this position before," I teased as I wrapped my legs around him, pressing myself against his erection.

He walked us out even farther, until the water was at our chests. "So we have," he murmured, leaning in.

I lost myself in the kiss. Nothing existed outside our little bubble – no people on the beach, no leaving the next day, no Army, no friends... Just us. His lips caressed mine once before he took control, commanding my total surrender. His tongue traced my lips, and I opened for him, inviting him inside me. As he tasted me, tangling my tongue with his, I gripped his shoulders and hugged him tighter with my legs. His hands slid into my bikini bottoms, holding my ass and pressing me against his erection.

When one hand slid to my front and found my lower lips, I gasped into his mouth. "Please!" I begged, nearly humping his hand, which was pressing against me.

Edward groaned and moved his hand to slide two fingers inside me. With his thumb on my clit, he began thrusting his fingers in and out.

I didn't want to come without him, so I moved one hand down between us and into his trunks, wrapping my fingers around his erection. He thrust up into my hand, which pushed his hand harder into me, making us both let out a needy moan.

"Oh, God," I whimpered when he flicked my clit with his thumb and curled his fingers, so with every stroke, he was brushing just the right spot. "Come with me," I begged, squeezing and stroking him,

He cursed under his breath, flicking my clit again. With a last thrust of his hips and curl of his fingers, I came, feeling my breath catch as I worked to hold back my cry. I felt him pulse in my hand as he came, too.

It was several minutes before we could breathe well enough to speak, and then we laughed. I leaned to him, pressing my forehead to his.

"I will never get enough of that," I told him breathily, feeling my heartbeat slowing to normal.

Smiling softly, he brushed his lips across mine. "Me, either, love." Reaching between us once more, he adjusted himself with a grimace. "At least the water washed it out of my shorts."

I laughed and slid down until I was touching sand. Adjusting my bikini bottoms, I told him, "Come on. Let's go get dried off. I'm thirsty and think I've had enough sun for today. Take me home, soldier."

Reaching for my hand, Edward pulled me to him, and together, we waded through the water to reach the shore.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Whoops. Should have put a little bitty lemon warning. Oh well. I'm sure you all survived. ;)**

**Now, leave some love because after the next chapter, you may not be able to see the keys to type...**

**With a heavy heart, I'm sending you to Sarge... – Jenny**


	116. Chapter 116: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh boy. Sigh... If you ever take my word on anything, believe this... This chapter comes with a TISSUE WARNING. This was, by far, the hardest chapter I wrote in this fic, simply because we'd busted our asses to get them together, and now they're having to separate for a short period. Not even Edward's injury bothered me as much as this one did. I told you guys no angst, and by my definition, it's not. Really this is just...hard and a bump on their road to their HEA, but it is the last night our couple is together in Florida.**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 1:47 A.M.**

I couldn't fucking sleep. Hell, I didn't _want_ to sleep. But I couldn't stay in bed, either, because my constant need to touch Bella was eventually going to wake her. Leaning over, I pressed a long, soft kiss to the back of her head as she lay on her stomach. Adjusting the sheets up around her, I slipped carefully out of bed.

Quickly and as quietly as I could, I pulled on a pair of khaki cargo shorts, sneaking out of the room, but not before giving the bed one more last glance. I wanted to remember it just like it was – filled with everything that I held close, the only thing that mattered. Dark hair splashed across the pillows, now containing a touch of sun lightened red. Smooth shoulders, a sloping, sexy back, strong, beautiful legs, and the perfectly round behind all tangled up in my blue sheets. My chest actually ached at the knowledge that I wouldn't have the sight in front of me for three whole motherfucking months, and suddenly, I hated my job. I wanted it over. I wanted it to be done.

I wandered into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and walked over to my piano. Turning it on, I made sure the sound was low – a rather beneficial perk to having the electric one, instead of my baby grand. I couldn't turn the sound down on it.

Starting with the classics like I usually did, I eventually merged into my own compositions. I played my mother's song, trying to calm myself down with good memories of her. My mother would have adored Bella. She would have found her silly humor endearing and most likely would have fed off of it, giggling right along with my girl. She would have found Bella's patience and strength to be good traits because they were a lot alike that way. And they would have reigned supreme in the kitchen together.

My fingers found the song I'd been writing in my head since Bella's first letter. It was every mood I'd gone through from the beginning. It was shock, hope, humor, and eventually, love. It was light and flirty. It told of fear – of letters and phone calls stopping, of not making it out of the desert, and of the feelings for a girl I'd never met that just didn't make any sense. Then it told of beauty and laughter, of sensual voices and murmurs, and finally of an all-consuming need. It finished with a solid, yet committed tone, but it didn't seemed finished to me. Sighing and running a hand through my hair as I studied the black and white keys in front of me, I supposed it really _wasn't_ finished. Bracing my elbows on the top of the piano, I gripped my hair in frustration and sadness. Fuck, I just wanted to keep her!

"That's pretty," I heard from across the room, and I looked up to see my girl standing there in my T-shirt.

"It's yours," I stated softly, smiling as she walked to me. "It's been in here since your first letter," I explained, tapping my temple. "You should be sleeping, sweet girl," I whispered, turning on the bench so that I could pull her to stand between my legs. "I'm sorry if I woke you..."

"The only thing that woke me was an empty bed," she said with a sweet, but sad smile, leaning in to kiss my forehead. "Can't sleep?" she asked into my hair as I wrapped my arms around her.

"No," I mumbled into her chest, burying myself in her warmth, scent, and love.

Soft, gentle fingers ran through my hair and down my spine at the same time. I wasn't sure if she was soothing me or herself. But I also knew I didn't care because it wasn't really working. I wanted to break something, cling to her, run away with her, or cry. And I didn't think there was a particular order to any of that shit, either.

Finally, she whispered, "Play it again, Edward. Please?"

I nodded, silently pushing away from her. She sat down next to me as I started her song all over again. When I was finished, I turned to see tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Isabella's Overture?" She sniffled, trying to smile.

"Yeah," I snickered, wiping her tears away with my thumbs. "Not in B flat, though."

Her sweet, soft laugh made me pull her forehead to mine and sweep my lips across hers. They were so very soft from her crying and salty from her tears. And it was all I could do not to lose myself in her.

"I love you," she whispered, gazing up at me.

That simple fucking statement unleashed it all. It made my chest hurt, my head pound, and my breathing kick up. And I was pretty sure my heart just cracked wide fucking open.

"I don't know how to let you go, Bella," I gushed in a whisper, still aware we were the only ones up this late. "I've tried all fucking week to figure it out, and I don't know how to do it!" I rambled, trying to settle the fuck down when she cupped either side of my face. "I've walked away from everything without ever looking back, and I know that this is only temporary, but I don't know _how_!"

"I know. Me, too," she cried, more tears slipping down her beautiful face.

"I've left my hometown, people I cared about, even Tanya, and none of it mattered," I continued, opting to grip the sides of the T-shirt she was wearing, because I feared I'd hurt her. "Nothing mattered. I don't miss any of it, but I don't know if I can even _breathe_ without you," I confessed, searching her watery eyes for the answers and only finding gentle understanding and a sadness that matched my own.

"We have to _try_, babe," she urged, trying to sound strong and mostly succeeding. "It's not long... In fact, it's less time than it took for us to meet."

I shook with the need to yell back that I didn't know what I'd been missing then. It was more than the feel of her in my bed, of her surrounding me, of burying myself inside her so deeply that we were one single being. It was the ease of what we just..._were_. It was laughter and the filling of empty spaces that we both had – where I lacked, she filled, and vice versa. It was the complete and utter feeling of perfection, knowing when I went home, she would be there.

And now, she wouldn't be...for three months. Home would be across the country without me, and despite how grateful I was that I was even that close, it still hurt like a son of a bitch.

"Come," I grunted, standing up so quickly that I almost dumped the bench over, because there was something I needed to do.

Linking our fingers together, I led her back to my room, closing and locking the door behind us. I stalked over to the nightstand to pull something out that I'd been saving for her. Sitting her down on the edge of the bed, I knelt in front of her.

"When this first started, I didn't know if I'd ever live to see this beautiful face, so I couldn't promise you anything," I told her, cupping her cheek. "Now... Isabella Swan, I promise you every-fucking-thing." I opened the small jewelry box in my hand and took out a ring, making sure she knew this was going on her right hand...not her left. "This is my promise to you, baby. I'll give you everything, I swear. Anything. When I'm done here, when I get to you, nothing will stop us. Okay?" I asked, picking up her hand and kissing the ring. "We'll create a new life together."

"Edward," she sobbed and nodded, but that's all she said because I stood in front of her, gently removing our clothes and easing her back onto the bed.

There were no more words, because I just couldn't find any. Settling into the cradle of her thighs, I dropped my weight down onto her. Our kiss was deep, desperate, filled with gasps for air, but our hands were slow, lingering over each and every inch of skin and muscle, as if to sear it into our minds and hearts. As I slid slowly into her, our breathing caught, lips barely touching.

I took my time loving her, keeping a slow, deep pace, while my hands ghosted up thighs, lifted hips, tickled ribs, and cupped breasts. I tried my fucking damnedest to memorize every expression on her face – from her dark eyes, to kiss-swollen lips, to her straining neck as she held back her climax.

"Wait for me," I pleaded, skimming my hands up her arms so that I could link our fingers together over her head. "Promise me you'll wait, Bella," I begged, not sure if I was talking about coming together or our lives in general – maybe both – and she answered the same way.

"Always, Edward... I promise," she gasped, a tear slipping down her cheek as I finally buried my face in her neck, telling her to let go.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I know...believe me. :( Sarge will break your heart. I get it. Check out our profile for links to my blog, Jenny's site, & FB, where we have a picture of sad, contemplative Sarge at the piano & one of the promise ring he gave her...**

**Some of you have asked why she doesn't stay, but if you'll remember, she has other people to see this summer. One parent canceled; the other one didn't. Okay? Remember, Charlie asked the girls to come for the Fourth of July.**

**There's not much I can say that will make this particular part better. The only thing that I can promise you is that our favorite couple is so, so strong now. Ever so much stronger since these two weeks in Florida. And their separation won't be torture.**

**You'll see Bella's side of things tomorrow. So we'll see you then. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	117. Chapter 117: Bella

**A/N #1: How many of you were sniffly yesterday? This one tugged at my heartstrings, too, so... Eek. :)**

**~oOo~**

**Somewhere over the Eastern US... Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 10:27 A.M.**

"Bella?"

I heard Rose's voice gently call my name, but it sounded like it was coming through a layer of fog. I didn't open my eyes or lift my head from the pillow I'd been holding to my chest for the last thirty minutes. Edward had given it to me before I'd gotten onto the plane. It was the one he'd been using since they'd arrived in Florida, so it smelled like him. I was also wearing his dog tags and a new T-shirt that he'd worn Friday after the beach and Saturday morning before he and the guys drove us to the airport. I was as surrounded by him as I was able to get, but...

_It's not fucking enough,_ I cried in my head, squeezing my eyes closed tighter as a new sob wracked my body.

"Oh, Bells." This time, Rose wrapped her arm around my shoulder, pulling me to lean against her, while Alice rubbed her hand up and down my arm soothingly.

I knew both of them had been crying, too. Leaving Emmett and Jasper had been just as hard for them as leaving Edward had been for me. I'd already apologized for crying, but they'd waved it away, telling me they totally understood.

"Just let it out, sweetie," Alice said softly.

Alice's words reminded me of something Edward had said as we were packing my things.

_Biting my lip, I shoved clothes into my suitcase, trying not to cry. I'd done enough of that earlier, and I didn't want Edward to worry about me._

_Suddenly, a hand closed over mine, and a sweet, tender voice murmured, "You're going to regret not folding those, sweetheart. You know you will. Here." He took the shirt from my hands. "Let me take over, and I'll—"_

_Whirling around, I grabbed the shirt back from him and growled, "I don't care about the damn clothes, Edward. I just want to get them in there so it's done."_

_With a gasping sob, I turned back to the suitcase and added the shirt, not caring that everything was getting wrinkled. Breathing deeply, I tried to get my emotions under control, but it wasn't working. I couldn't catch my breath, and I honestly felt like my chest was going to explode._

_Edward must have realized because I was suddenly face to face with him, sitting astride his thighs on the floor. He was leaning back against the bed and was cupping my face, forcing me to look at him._

"_Breathe, Isabella. Deep breaths. Do it with me," he instructed._

_His commanding voice and slow, even breaths broke through whatever the hell was happening, and I was finally able to calm myself._

"_Good girl," he crooned. "Just breathe, sweetheart. That's it."_

_With a sob, I threw myself forward, burying my face in his neck and taking a long, deep breath in, smelling the scent that was uniquely Edward – the soap he'd used in the shower, the detergent I'd used on his clothes, and just...pure him._

_His arms tightened around me as he dropped a kiss to my hair. "Go ahead and cry, love. Don't hold it in just for me." His voice broke as his own tears began to fall and he finished with, "Please."_

We'd stayed just like that, crying together, until Jasper had knocked once on the door and told us quietly that we'd needed to leave in ten minutes.

"I knew it would be hard to leave," I said, sitting up but not relinquishing my hold on the pillow, "but I had no idea it would feel like this. I feel... God, I feel like someone ripped my heart out, stomped on it a few times, and then put it back in my chest. It would hurt less if it wasn't there anymore, but it is. It's there, and it feels like it's never going to be whole again."

"We know, sweetie," Rose said, tucking my hair behind my ear.

I finally looked up to see tears streaming down her face. When I looked over at Alice, I saw the same on hers.

"I'm sorry..." I spoke softly, my voice just above a whisper. "I know you guys are hurting, too."

Alice smiled, although it came out half like a grimace. "I'd like to say it gets easier, but it doesn't. It just gets a little easier to hide."

Rose swiped at her tears and then mine when I turned to look at her again. "She's right. But one thing we all have to understand is that in three months, they will be coming home to us – and for those three months, they are safe and only a short plane ride away."

Three months had never seemed so long, and even Edward's words hadn't made it seem much better.

_I was wrapped in Edward's arms just on the far side of security. As much as I wanted him to be able to walk me to my gate, that just wasn't possible anymore. We were both crying, although Edward was trying his best to calm me down._

"_Three months, love," he said softly. "Ninety days exactly until I'm a free man, and ninety-one until I am in Seattle with you. That's less than what we've been through and a drop in the bucket compared to the lifetime together we have in front of us. You're the strongest woman I've ever met. You can do this, sweetheart. _We_ can do this."_

_I just continued to cry, nodding and croaking out that I would try._

_Finally, he pulled away, nodding over my shoulder. "Time to go, Bella," he whispered against my temple._

_Grasping my face, he kissed me deeply, suckling my top lip and then my bottom, his tongue demanding entrance and stroking mine until we were both gasping for air._

_Leaning his forehead against mine, he spoke, his voice rough with tears. "You are mine, Isabella Swan. Remember those promises I made?" His fingers brushed against the ring on my right hand, and I nodded. "Don't forget them. Ninety-one days, and we will start our life together. Know that I am going to ask you to marry me. Once I get home, that's a done deal, sweetheart."_

_I nodded again, swallowing back the grief that threatened to overwhelm me at leaving him. "I love you," I told him, my voice shaking._

"_As I love you," he echoed, kissing me softly once more._

_I glanced back over my shoulder every few steps, watching him, until I had to turn the corner and he was out of my view._

Just the thought of our goodbye had my tears falling again. I curled around Edward's pillow and closed my eyes. Maybe if I slept until we hit New York and then again on the plane from there to Seattle, it wouldn't hurt as much as it did.

~oooOOOooo~

I'd been wrong, I decided as I got off the plane at Sea-Tac. It had hurt just as much to sleep, because my dreams were simply replays of our last night together, of our goodbye. But I was home now, and I couldn't change our circumstances, so I needed to learn to deal with it. I could break down in private if I needed to, but for now, I would put on a brave face and hope to God I started believing it myself.

We were quiet as we grabbed our luggage, each lost in thoughts of calling our guys.

"Meet you out front in a few minutes?" Rose asked us. We had taken a cab to the airport since it was going to be cheaper and safer than leaving our car in long-term parking while we were gone.

Alice and I nodded, and then we split up to go our separate ways to get some privacy for our phone calls.

I made my way to the Starbucks and ordered a Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls before sitting down at a table as far from other people as I could get.

After taking a sip, I pulled out my cell phone, turned it on, and saw the alert that I had one message. According to the time stamp, Edward had sent it right after I'd gotten on the connecting flight in New York.

_E: I love you so much, Bella. Know that you made my life when you surprised me two weeks ago. You are an incredible woman, and I am the luckiest man in the world. Call me when you land, sweet girl. xoxo_

Tears welled up, and I took a moment to get myself under control before hitting the first speed dial. He would be the death of me... He was just too damn sweet for his own good.

"Bella," he breathed, my name falling like a prayer from his lips.

"Hi, babe." Just hearing his voice was a balm to my aching soul.

"You're in Seattle?"

"Yup, just got our bags and split up to make phone calls. We're gonna meet to grab a cab when we're done."

Edward made a sound of acknowledgment and then asked, "You guys are going from there to the house to get a car and then headed to Forks, yeah?"

"Yup. Charlie wants us to come up for the holiday tomorrow, although I have no idea why. We'll probably go out to the reservation with him to watch the fireworks. They can't shoot them off in Forks, but the guys on the rez can do it down by the water. Less chance of fire there, I guess."

I heard a growl and giggled. "Calm down, Sarge. Jacob knows to stay away from me – and if he doesn't, Rose, Alice, and I will set him straight."

"Mm, he'd better," Edward huffed, making me laugh again.

My laugh trailed off after a moment, and tears filled my eyes again in the silence over the line.

"God, I w-wish y-you were h-here," I stuttered, trying to keep myself under control.

Edward took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking. "I'm already there, sweetheart. You know that song, right? Take a look around. I'm the sunshine in your hair, the shadow on the ground. I'm the whisper in the wind, I'm your imaginary friend, and I know I'm in your prayers. Believe me, I'm already there. Ninety-one days and it won't just be those things. I'll be right there beside you for the rest of our lives, okay?"

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah. I want that...so much," I confessed.

"Me, too, sweet girl. Me, too."

Noticing Rose and Alice just outside the doors, I sighed. "The girls are waiting for me, babe. I'd better go. Text you when we get to Forks?"

"Please," he answered. "I love you, Bella."

"God, I love you, too, Edward. So fucking much." I sighed again, hating the damn distance. "Bye, babe."

I listened to his goodbye and then hung up the phone before my tears could really fall anew.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: See? *sniffly!* Gah. Goodbyes are hard to write. Ok, so the song Edward references is one of my favorites of all-time. "I'm Already There" by Lonestar. Go ahead. Find it on YouTube. It's SO good. Oh, and in case you missed it (cause we forgot until after it was already posted, so you might have read it before I updated it...), the promise ring from Edward is now linked in our profile to my site, Deb's blog, & FB. :)**

**Now, we must have a talk, ladies (& well, at least 1 or 2 gentlemen, I believe... LOL). Several of you have been itching to have him propose before she left...wondering why it was a promise ring and not an egagement ring. That didn't happen for several reasons. First, they've known each other for like 3 1/2 months...but they've only known each other in person for 2 weeks. Yes, they love each other and they're going to be together forever, but cut 'em some slack. ;) The second reason is that Sarge is the type of guy that would prefer to meet his potential father-in-law in person before asking for his daughter's hand in marriage...and Charlie is the type of guy that would prefer to meet his potential son-in-law before the guy steals his daughter away. Mkay? I won't be giving anything away to tell you that before the story is done, there WILL be a proposal. But don't expect it immediately. ;)**

**Now, leave Bella some tissues and a huge and then see what Sarge has to say – or if he's just moping around. ;) – Jenny**


	118. Chapter 118: Edward

**A/N #1: Poor Bella. :( I get it, though. I mean, that first sharp feeling of separation is just heartbreaking. Guys, however...they handle things differently. But leave it to Sarge to go back to what got them started... ;)**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, July 04, 2010 at 8:24 A.M.  
Date Received: Sun, July 04, 2010 at 5:24 A.M.  
Subject: You'd better be asleep, Miss Swan...

Hey my beautiful girl,

I'm emailing instead of texting because if you are asleep, I want you to stay that way. You didn't get much sleep before you left, and I can't imagine it was any better on the plane.

I miss you so much. In such a short time, I became addicted to sleeping wrapped around you. My bed felt awfully empty without you in it this morning. In fact, the whole house is too fucking quiet. Neither Jazz nor Em are up yet, so I ran alone this morning. I had to. I had to focus on something other than the obvious fact that you're not here.

Which brings me to why I'm emailing...

Thank you, sweet girl. Thank you for giving me the best birthday present I've ever received, and I don't mean the piano...although, thank you for that, too. Even though these next few months will be torture without you, I know we'll make it. I feel like a part of my soul is missing without you here, but even just writing this takes the sharp edges away. And if that's true, then hearing your sweet voice will be all the better. I'm thanking you because you've given me everything I never thought I'd have – hope for a future, family that I didn't know existed, and a love I can sink into, trust, and rely on. I thought I loved you before you showed up, but it's nothing in comparison to what I feel now.

I want you to have a good time with your dad, Bella. Let him take care of you. He understands about us and our relationship more than you think he does, so lean on him, love. Have fun watching fireworks, but I swear to God, Jacob better keep his eyes and hands to himself. I'm not kidding. I will fly down there, rip his arms off, and fly back all in one day. LOL Ahh, the benefits of being stateside... Hmm, what else could I do while I was there...

The guys and I are planning on hanging at the house for the holiday today. Nothing major, just Jasper's chili dogs, some beer, and we heard that fireworks can be seen down on Bayshore, so we may sit outside to watch them. And if I'm not mistaken, they have some sort of video game tournament planned, as well. **rolls eyes**

But until they get up, I'm going to play some music. I'm still working on your song, and as soon as it's finished, I'll send it to you. I promise. You don't even have to ask.

I love you more than I can express, sweetheart. Please don't be sad, because our time apart will go quicker than you think. God knows I'm trying my damnedest not to let it get to me when all I want is you.

Forever yours,  
Edward

P.S. Question time, Isabella... I'm proud to say that I did in fact take you six ways from Sunday. Mm, baby, what was your favorite? I'd like to say them all, but since rules are rules and I must answer my own question, I have to say the shower, beautiful. There was something about seeing you wet – in every sense of the word **naughty grin* – and looking back at me. And clearly, there aren't enough elevators in my life, so we weren't able to make that shared fantasy a reality, something I truly plan on rectifying as soon as I get home to you.

~oooOOOooo~

**Tampa... Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 8:42 P.M.**

"Go, go, go!" Emmett urged, practically breaking the controller in his hand.

I chuckled, rolling my eyes, and shook my head. "You'd think that actually _being_ in a war, you'd get tired of shooting at enemies."

"These don't count," Jasper laughed, jerking his chin toward the TV. "This is a thirteen-year-old kid from Japan who is truly kicking our asses. It's a matter of pride now."

Laughing, I went back to my piano. "You know what they say about pride..."

"Yeah, yeah," Emmett snickered, his focus still on the TV. "It cometh before the fall..."

My eyebrows shot up, and Jasper actually paused the game.

"What? I can read, you know," Emmett scoffed, shoving Jasper.

"Can you really?" Jasper asked. "Read, I mean..."

Chuckling at the two of them, I said, "He can read Playboy's letters. That's saying something."

Emmett grinned. "There was this one..."

"Stop!" Jasper and I both yelled.

"If this is the thigh-high boot chick that could wrap her leg around her own neck, I call bullshit," Jasper grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Those letters are fucking fiction. I don't care what you say."

"Or what was the one he didn't shut up about for weeks?" I asked, smiling at Emmett's scoff. "Oh yeah..."

"Gas Station Girl!" Jasper and I both yelled at the same time.

"You, my friend, have some serious automotive fetishes." I pointed to Emmett, who was laughing his ass off.

"Funnels, oil, and do I even want to know what the jumper cables were used for in that letter?" Jasper asked, grimacing at the mere thought.

"Probably not," I chuckled.

"Oh, right! Like you two don't have some naughty teacher shit going on in your heads!" Emmett countered.

What was hilarious was that Jasper and I froze for a fraction of a second, both of us wearing matching deer-in-headlights expressions. I wasn't denying nor confirming that shit, whatsoever. However, I did flip Emmett off at the same time that Jasper snapped, "Play the game!"

They went back to killing Nazis, and I wandered into the kitchen. The three of us acted like we were completely lost in the house, like it was suddenly too big for us. Most of the day was quiet, the only noise coming from the kitchen when Jasper was making his chili. At one point, I'd gone back to bed, simply out of exhaustion from the last two nights' loss of sleep...and to just bury myself in the scent of Bella's pillow. In fact, this was the most we'd said all damn day.

I was following their lead because they'd been this route before, but I could tell they were trying their best to keep me occupied. It really was all I could do not to just call Bella and keep her on the phone at all fucking times – a constant sweet sound in my ear, just to make shit easier.

Once I had a plate filled with two chili dogs and a handful of chips, I grabbed my beer and stepped outside onto the back porch, calling back into the house, "The fireworks have started..."

The game paused, and soon, Jasper joined me, falling down on the step beside me. Emmett took a chair and set it on the lawn in front of us. Blues, purples, reds, and greens bloomed over our heads, but I'd have been willing to bet that we weren't really seeing them, because not one of us said a word. It was comfortable and familiar. And I realized they were quiet for me. Like brothers, they knew me well enough to let me have the silence I'd always used to adjust to shit.

"It gets better, you know," Jasper said finally softly, shrugging a shoulder when I glanced over at him. "I'm not saying it's great, but the hard part is over. You know, seeing them upset. They'll get busy doing whatever they do at home, and we'll get back to work."

"It's the last time, Sarge," Emmett vowed, his usual jovial face now completely serious. "Then we go home."

I nodded, my battered and beaten heart thumping at the thought of _home_. I knew that this was only temporary, that one day I'd look back on this separation and smile, but Jasper was right. What bothered me the most was my sweet, normally happy girl upset when she left. And I couldn't do a fucking thing about it, because not only was I stuck here, but I was what she would miss. A part of me reveled that she needed me, and another worried that she'd lose her strength.

As if he'd heard my thoughts, Emmett said, "Bellsy's tough, Ed. She'll wallow for a day or two, but she'll dust herself off and make the best of it. She's been that way since I met her."

"Yeah, definitely," Jasper agreed, nodding and smiling. "Though..." He huffed a laughed and elbowed me. "I really wish you could've seen your face when you set eyes on her in that club."

I laughed, my head falling back. "I'm sure."

The fireworks were forgotten, and we spent the last of the beer, hot dogs, and the evening reliving what we all considered the best two weeks. Ever.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ahh, beer, food, and trash talk... LOL It makes the world go 'round, right? ;)**

**You guys will see why Charlie needed the girls there for the holiday tomorrow. And communication will go back to what it was prior to Sarge and Bella meeting. Someone asked on our FB page if there would be any time jumps. Yes, here and there. This is the downhill side of this story, guys. Just a few more months until the boys come home. :)**

**Thank you guys for every rec, review – good or bad – and post on FB. We truly love you for it. See you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	119. Chapter 119: Bella

**A/N #1: I'm SO glad you guys liked Bella's chapter about leaving Tampa. It was an emotional one to write but one of my favorites from the entire story. Now, let's find out just why the girls are in Forks, huh?**

**~oOo~**

**Forks... Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 11:23 A.M.**

I didn't even get out of bed before reaching over to my nightstand and grabbing my laptop. Rose and Alice were already awake, if the noises downstairs were any indication; I could hear the shower running, so I doubted at least one of them had been up long. After getting to Forks around eight the night before and spending a few minutes texting with Edward, we'd been up late telling Charlie all about our trip to Florida – well, not _all_, because there were some things a father and daughter should just _not_ talk about.

Sitting up against the headboard and propping the laptop up on my knees, I opened the waiting email from Edward, smiling because I'd truly missed communicating with him like this. There was something special about it. Maybe it was because we'd fallen in love through the written word. All I knew was that if I had to be away from him again, his emails were my lifeline.

Several minutes later, I was holding back tears as I read his sweet goodbye, giggling when I read about the shower. I was just about to hit reply when Rose opened the door and walked into the room in a robe, her skin still dewy from the shower and a towel wrapped around her hair.

"Come on, Bells," she said, smiling when she saw that I was awake. "Charlie told me to make sure you were up. We're supposed to head out to the reservation in about half an hour. You can email Edward later, 'K?"

With a sigh, I nodded and set the laptop aside, climbing out of bed and reaching for my phone. I might not have time to sit down and email him, but I was taking the minute to text Edward if it killed me.

_B: Good morning, babe. Just wanted to let you know that I just woke up and have to get ready immediately to go out to the reservation, so I can't email you back now. I love you and miss you, Edward. Have a good day with the guys. Relax and enjoy it before you go back to work tomorrow, Sarge. :) Love you! xoxo_

Setting the phone down on the dresser, I started gathering my stuff for the shower. Just before I left the room, my phone buzzed with Edward's reply.

_E: My sweet girl... I'm glad to hear you got some sleep. I worry about you when you don't. Have a good time with your friends and Charlie today. I love you, too, Isabella. So very much. **sending you hugs**_

I sighed, setting the phone back down on the dresser. I'd never get tired of hearing those words from him, even over a simple text message. Giving it one last glance, I left the room to get ready.

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, July 04, 2010 at 10:47 P.M.  
Date Received: Mon, July 05, 2010 at 1:47 A.M.  
Subject: What a night!

Hi, babe.

Just got home to Charlie's house. We spent all damn day and night on the reservation, which was ok, but it didn't leave me any free time to email you! :( Did you guys end up spending the day like you'd thought? Chili dogs (isn't Jasper's chili terrific?), beer, and fireworks? I hope you had a good day, even if we weren't together... I had a pretty good day here, aside from missing you, of course!

The biggest news of the trip came from Charlie... I asked last night why he had been so insistent that the girls and I come visit this weekend, and he just hemmed and hawed about it before claiming it was late and he needed to get to bed. My question was answered tonight when he stood up just before they started the fireworks, got down on one knee (slowly, with a grunt, claiming his knees weren't what they used to be *laugh*), and proposed to Sue! I was terrified she was going to say no, but he must have been pretty damn confident that she'd say yes, or he wouldn't have asked her in front of everyone. LOL So would you mind escorting me to my father's wedding in October, Sarge? It might not seem like the most ideal time to meet my father, but maybe that will actually be the best... He'll be distracted by the wedding and can't grill you too much. ;) They set a date pretty quickly of Sunday, October 17th, so I thought maybe I'd get a substitute, and we could go down that Thursday after school, coming home Sunday after the ceremony.

Something else...interesting...happened while we were out there. Jacob would not back off, I swear. Everywhere I turned, there he was. If I was up at the table with the drinks, he would come up behind me, reaching around me to grab a cup of beer, rather than standing beside me at the table. A few times, he caught me unaware in the kitchen, and rather than wait for me to move out of the small space between the counter and the refrigerator, he attempted to scoot by me – which basically meant pressing up against me and our bodies touching from knees to chest. I ignored the first time, just giving him a dirty look, but when it happened again, I raised my knee, brushing it against his junk. He cringed and backed off pretty damn quick.

That was it until we were all sitting around the driftwood fire, and he came and plopped down beside me on the log I was sitting on, leaving me little to no space. Charlie must have seen how uncomfortable and pissed off I was because he spoke up and said something to the effect of, "Jacob Black, I believe you're making my daughter uncomfortable. Don't think I haven't noticed all the shit you've been pulling today. Back off. I know she's told you she isn't interested, that she has a boyfriend. He's a good man, her Edward. If you don't knock it the hell off, son of my best friend or not, I'll have to make you." Then he paused and looked him straight in the eye and said (and I'm quoting this because I'll never forget it...), "Either that, or I can give Edward a call and let _him_ know what's going on. I'm sure he'll be glad to come down and set things straight." I've never seen Jake move as fast as he did to go sit on the other side of the campfire. LOL

It was great to hear my dad talk about you like that and stick up for us both. And don't worry, babe. I don't need you to defend my honor like you did Mike. Between the threat of my knee and Charlie's warning, Jacob didn't say another word to me all night, aside from a platonic goodbye just before we left.

But all that talk about you just made me miss you more than I already was. *sigh* I totally get the not sleeping well thing, babe. Even though my bed here is a twin, it still felt miles too big. I missed your arms around me, your lips kissing my neck as we drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, you were my first thought this morning. I kept hoping you would walk through my door to wake me in the best way possible like we did so many mornings while I was there. The thought that I won't see you again until October just wrecks me. I know we can do it because it's going to totally be worth every bit of loneliness and tears, but I still hate it.

I had such an amazing time down in Florida, Edward. Being with you was everything I possibly could have imagined and so much more that I hadn't even dreamed was possible. We just...fit, ya know? You get me more than anyone besides my girls ever have before. You're my best friend, which was only cemented in the time we were together, and I know that we are going to spend the rest of our lives together. It's an incredible feeling, but knowing that we have three more months before we can start that life together just slays me.

Send me my song soon, baby. I can't wait to hear all of it. That was some of the best moments from my visit...listening to you play. Your face... God, Edward, it was like there was such a peace that came over you every time you sat down behind that keyboard. That right there made the gift worth it. To see you that happy and fulfilled was worth a hundred pianos.

Ok, so question time. What was my favorite? *whines* I want to say all of them, dammit. lol I remember every single time, babe. But honestly, the first and last times we were together like that will be forever cemented in my memory. Dancing at the club that first night...and then feeling your mouth and hands on me, making love with you above me. God, it just felt so right – like I was meant to be right there...with you. Then the night before I left, when I woke up to find you at the piano in the middle of the night. The most clear memory from that time is you begging me to wait for you. Edward Masen, you have to know by now that I would wait a lifetime for you. I love you so much, and that moment just made me want to hug you to me and never let go.

And ok...the night we pulled the SUV over on the way back after our date and the night after the Fun Center...I'll never forget those, either, but for entirely different reasons! LOL

Now my question for you... *laugh* I think you could tell I enjoyed it when you played with my ass during sex... Did you enjoy it – and is that something you might want to think about doing at some point? I'd never really given a lot of thought to it before, but now, if you're interested, I think it's something I want to try with you. When you touched me there and put your finger inside me, it felt amazing and hit nerves I didn't even know existed. If it's not something you're interested in trying, that's ok, but I just wanted to know.

I'd better go. My eyes are closing. Have a good Monday, babe. We'll probably leave here sometime tomorrow. Charlie took the morning off work, so we'll just head home when he goes in after lunch. I'll text you and let you know for sure, though.

I love you, Edward, so very damn much.

Yours, always,  
Bella

P.S. Just so you know... Remember the last time on Skype when I wouldn't let you see me without clothes? Our next Skype chat, I won't be wearing anything but your dog tags. ;)

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Charlie's getting married! *squee* And Oh, Jacob isn't smart, is he? LOL**

**Lots of flirting, some sexy chat, and still lots of emotion from missing him.**

**Ok, so I want to address something... Yes, we've seen the news about KStew & RPattz. Neither of us wish to discuss it or hear about it. If it's really true, that's sad for both of them. But it should be a personal matter, not one that is discussed by the masses. I really hate how the public dissects the lives of celebrities. I know that's one of the prices of fame, but honestly, I have my own crap to worry about. I don't need to worry about theirs, too. ;) Plus, I'm far from perfect, so I can't judge.**

**Also, and military/ex-military/families, please correct me if I'm wrong, but just because the guys are in the States doesn't mean that their family will automatically move to them. Yes, they probably could. I mean, I doubt there's a rule in the military that says, "No, Rose and Alice can't move to Tampa for the rest of the summer." But the girls have lives. They have responsibilities there in Seattle. Their jobs are teaching, yes, but Alice helps her mom with charity events and what not; Rose helps out at a friend's garage (which will come into play later in the story, js). It's 90 days. If the guys were going to be in Florida for a year? Sure, I could see going down there to stay. But they aren't. Hope that clears up where our heads were. ;)**

**Now that my ranting is over... LOL Please, let me know what you thought about Charlie, Jake, etc. *mwah* – Jenny**


	120. Chapter 120: Edward

**A/N #1: YAY! Charlie's getting married! :D And he was badass toward Jake... lol**

**And for the guest reviewer that said that a parent that's close by isn't as important as staying with Sarge. (Actually, I believe you used the words "lame excuse.") Well, as someone that has lost both parents not far apart – just like Sarge – I say you're wrong. I was the same age as this Bella when I lost my mother, so I say parents are important, and making time for them is most certainly not lame. You never know what could happen. Just sayin'.**

**Now...see me at the bottom...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Mon, July 05, 2010 at 8:02 A.M.  
Date Received: Mon, July 05, 2010 at 5:02 A.M.  
Subject: It would be my honor...

I would love to take you to your father's wedding, my sweet girl. Please congratulate him for me. No wonder he wanted you girls to be there. However you want to do it, I'm there. And I'm not worried about meeting him, love.

I swear to God, Isabella... I'm going to have to put some sort of alarm or shock system on you until I get home. You're too fucking beautiful for your own damn good! It's one thing to flirt; it's another to actually touch. Jacob crossed the line. You have no idea how close I am to coming up there just to break his fingers. Next time, baby, you bring that knee up with force. Got me?

I'm so glad Charlie saw it all. I think I need to buy him some new fishing equipment or some shit, because there was no telling how far the jackass would've taken things had he _not_ been called out on his dick behavior. It's a good thing I'm buzzing my hair today because I'd have pulled it all out by the time this three months is up.

Our holiday was exactly what I said it'd be. Quiet. Although, by the end of the night, I was about to tell Emmett he wasn't allowed to have anything containing beans for the remainder of our living together. The whole house would've exploded had you lit a match inside. Which sucks, because you're right...Jazz's chili is really damn good. However, he's a messy cook to clean up after. You were better.

Yeah, sweetheart...we just _fit_. I've never felt anything like it. I feel like I've known you my whole life. I feel like I could tell you anything and not worry that you'll laugh or think less of me. And the bed is the worst part for me, too, because I miss crawling in next to you, fitting myself around you, and feeling your pulse level out underneath my lips as you drift off. I miss waking up the same way, with slow, sleepy touches. I miss how you'd fight waking up until I touched you just right, and it was like your whole body came alive without your permission. Having my hands on you felt so good, so fucking right, and I miss it. They ache without you.

Which I guess brings me to your question, Miss Swan. I told you before that I wanted to take you every way imaginable, and I mean that, but sweet girl, I won't _hurt_ you. Something like that would take time and patience, and I want to always make you feel good, not see you in pain. Have I done it before? No. Not that I don't live to feel every part of you, but I've never taken anyone that way. Do I want it? Bella, I'll take anything you want to give me, and believe me, I'll cherish it until the day I die. I love all the firsts that I was able to give you, but this would be a first for me, as well, so please, _please_ let me learn your body more when I get home if this is something that you truly want. And fuck, if that wouldn't feel phenomenal...

God, you're killing me, Isabella, and you're not even here...

You have no idea how difficult it was to keep my hands off of you the night we were in my car. None. I was drunk on you...how you smelled like sex and flowers, how wet you were for me, even on the dance floor, and how amazed I was that it was me that you were with, when every man – and some women – wanted you. I watched them watch you, but it was me that _you_ watched. That was...everything to me.

Question time... Okay, since you're such the expert on this subject, I have a feeling your answer will be interesting. What's the absolute worst pick up line you've been hit with? LOL (And this is one time I'm happy that we didn't meet on the street, because that first line is fucking hard. I don't care what anyone says! You would've made me absolutely dumbstruck.) I don't really have an answer for you in return. I was eighteen when I joined the Army, so it wasn't like I went out. However, that being said... Nothing annoys me more than every other word being "um" and "like," not to mention that thing girls do when every sentence ends up sounding like a fucking question. What the hell is that? LOL However, the best line was by this sweet, sexy brunette that asked me to dance. That was hands down the best ever. No one could top that.

I miss you, sweet girl. So fucking much. I hate to do it, but I have to get ready for work. Please call me or text me when you make it home safely, okay?

My heart is yours,  
Edward

P.S. Oh, Isabella, I have a feeling that Skyping will never, _ever_ be the same between us. As much as I hate his existence – or at least the fact that there is a need for him – I can't wait to see Mr. Sparkle do things to you that make you call my name. I can't wait to watch you fall apart with just my voice, your hands, and my dog tags around your neck. Ummm, yeah...shower time. LOL Love you.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Starting in tomorrow's post, you'll want to start paying attention to the timestamps. Sometimes, it's little jumps and then bigger ones. Just so you know. Okay?**

**Now... What was the worst pick up line you've ever heard? LOL I don't have an actual line, per se. But the hubs did talk incessantly the day we met. He told me later that he was afraid I'd lose interest in him, so he wanted to keep my focus on him. Silly man. He was too cute to ignore. ;)**

**Thanks to all the SG ladies and man on FB for all the love, recs, strange conversations, and laughter. Thanks to all of you for every review. We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	121. Chapter 121: Bella

**A/N #1: I love that so many of you were like us... Ready for the emails and stuff to continue! As much as we love them in person, the emails are what made us fall in love with Sarge, right? :) Ok, so fun and exciting note at the bottom. See you there! :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Mon, July 05, 2010 at 9:38 P.M.  
Date Received: Tues, July 06, 2010 at 12:38 A.M.  
Subject: Mmm, Sarge in a suit?

*fans self* Good God... I hadn't thought about you having to wear a suit to Charlie's wedding until just now! On our date night, you about brought me to my knees. And I don't think they are going to go that formal, but if they chose tuxes for you guys? Fucking hell... I seriously might just keel over and die. Suit, tuxedo, jeans and T-shirt... I don't care. I'll be as proud and happy as anything to have you beside me.

Give me a minute to calm down from those images... *grin*

I can't believe we spent 3 hours on the phone tonight! LOL I mean, I can believe it...but who knew we still had that much we could talk about!

I think I told you earlier, but I was really surprised when you texted me back today! I texted, rather than called, 'cause I knew you were at work and I figured you wouldn't be able to answer the phone. *shrug* Apparently, I just had really good timing, catching you on your break. :)

Oh, babe... LOL Poor Jake had better run the other way if he sees you coming. Trust me, I can take care of myself. ;) Charlie saw to that when I moved in with him. If Jake had touched me one more time, I'd have kneed him in the balls and then in the forehead when he doubled over. *grin* So as much as I love you being my hero and riding to my rescue? In this case, I promise, it's so not necessary!

I have to say that I laughed my ass off at your description of Emmett and the beans. Yes...unfortunately, I'm well aware of the power of his gas. Isn't it awful? LOL Like hazmat suit stuff! As for Jasper...Alice just assures me that he's cute, so he can get away with how messy he is when he cooks. *snort*

How is it possible that I already miss making love to you? I mean, fuck... I went months without it and years before that. But days after leaving you, and I feel empty inside. I ache for your touch, babe. On my skin, in my hair, inside me...I just want you every minute of every day. And Edward, of course we can take it slow back there... If we never go all the way, I'd be ok with that. I'm not certain, but I'd be willing to bet that most of the appeal is just because it's you. I want you surrounding me, and having you inside my most private of places...it just ties us together. I mean, don't get me wrong... It felt pretty damn good. But it's not something I want to rush into or go about trying by myself. It's with you or not at all.

Oh, geez... The worst pick up line I've ever had said to me? There have been so fucking many! You've got the ultra cheesy, of course: "You must be tired... You've been running through my mind all night." Or even: "Was your father a thief? 'Cause someone stole the stars from the sky to put in your eyes." And then there's the ultra insulting: "Can I buy you a drink, or do you just want the money?" Or even: "I may not be the best-looking guy here, but I'm the only one talking to you." Yeah, I've had my share of creeps and idiots. LOL

All right, I'd better go. I've got two manuscripts sitting in my inbox that I want to start working on tomorrow. I didn't get much accomplished on editing while in Florida (not that I'm complaining. ;) ), so...

I love you so much, Edward. More and more every day. Only 84 days until I am in your arms again. I can't wait.

Loving you always,  
Bella

P.S. Oh, baby... I'm not sure Mr. Sparkle even comes remotely fucking close to being good enough anymore. But I also know that I won't need him to. ;) Your voice and your words alone will be all I need to put me over the edge. Soon, my sinfully sexy man. xoxo

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: *laugh* I had a lot of fun coming up with those pick up lines. Keep in mind, I found them and wrote this before you guys gave us yours! LOL You had some great ones, but one reviewer said the funniest thing, and I asked her if I could share:**

**WiltshireGlo said, "I met this guy who was flicking beer at unsuspecting girls...he picked on me. When I asked him what was up, he replied, "I was born!" I took his drink from him and threw it at him. He said, "I like her," to his friend. We've been married 25 years."**

**I thought that was too cute, that last line. *laugh***

**Thank you guys for all the love. :) As a surprise...it's a 4-chapter day...and believe me, you will need the Shanties for these. ;) Now, leave me your thoughts on the 84 days, the upcoming naughty fun, or just whatever, and then prepare yourself. ;) – Jenny**


	122. Chapter 122: Edward

**A/N #1: Okay, troops... Note the timestamp. ;) Two weeks have gone by... But this chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING. I'm going to stop warning you not to read at work. None of you listen. LOL Hmm... Skype, anyone?**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 12:26 P.M.**

_E: Hey, my sweet, sick girl... Text me when you're up and about._

I sent the text before stepping into the shower. My poor Bella had been through it all since her return home – Jacob's come-ons, her period, and finally, the flu. I let the water cascade over my head and down my face, smiling because she'd absolutely refused to let me Skype with her. At all. Her time of the month, I could almost understand, but not the flu. I'd begged her and begged her to let me at least take a look at her, but she wouldn't let me, saying that a bright red nose, puffy eyes, and chapped lips weren't fit to be seen in public – even more by me. Like I cared how she looked while sick. I'd worried endlessly because she'd sounded terrible, all sniffly, raspy, and just plain exhausted.

We'd texted, emailed, and talked on the phone all the damn time, but I missed her gorgeous face and her sweet smile, and two weeks without seeing her was fucking killing me. In fact, the raging erection I was currently sporting in the shower just proved it. I glared down at it with disdain and frustration because taking care of the situation only made it worse. It made me miss Bella all the more. Where at one point, it would have eased tension, now it only left an ache behind – it was absent of soft, sated giggles, tender touches, and kisses so sweet that they made my chest hurt. My own hand just barely nicked the surface of just how much I needed my girl.

Willing my body to just get through the mundane steps of washing, I finally stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist. My phone chimed from the vanity that I had a text.

_B: I'm up, handsome. ;)_

I walked into my room and dropped down on the edge of the bed to reply instantly.

_E: There's my beautiful girl! How are you feeling?_

_B: Much better. Missing you like crazy. And wondering if you had time to Skype today? *fingers crossed*_

_E: For you? I'll make time! When, love?_

_B: Now?_

Grinning, I sent one more text before getting up to grab my laptop.

_E: Race you! ;)_

I sat back down on my bed – this time, I scooted up to lean back against the headboard – and opened my laptop. When I was alerted to an incoming call the second I logged on, I had to chuckle. She'd been ready.

Her beautiful face filled my vision, and I sighed and smiled in contentment for the first time in what seemed like forever. My eyes searched for traces of changes, finding none other than a slight trace of pink still on her nose from her being sick. I had an almost irresistible urge to kiss the tip of it.

"Hey, sweetheart."

"Hey, babe," she giggled. "I won."

"So you did," I chuckled.

I could see that she was on her stomach in bed, her chin propped up on a pillow and her bare feet in the air behind her. She was beautiful and a sight for sore fucking eyes as she played with my dog tags, which were hanging around her neck.

"You owe me one, Sarge," she teased, but her little brow furrowed. "Oh..." she groaned. "Your hair's gone."

Laughing, I ran hand over my head. "Aw, Bella. It's fucking hot down here. I promise, it does grow back. By the time I come home, the top will be longer," I vowed.

"That sounds good..."

Smiling, I tilted my head at her. "Which part? Hair or coming home?"

"Yeah," she sighed, biting at her bottom lip. "All of it. God, I miss you."

"I miss you, too, love. How are you feeling?" I asked. She looked amazing...or maybe I was just pathetically in love with her enough to be fucking blind.

"Better. Honestly," she promised with a nod of her head. "You really didn't need to see me like that. My face was just...ugh. I was pale, with tissue shoved up each nostril. It was awful – one minute, I couldn't breathe, and then the next, it was just running like water. So freakin' gross."

"Sounds...sexy," I teased, giving her a wink. "You know, sweet girl, if I'd been home, you would've had no choice. I would've taken care of you, no matter what you had shoved up your nose."

"Right. Thanks, Masen," she muttered wryly with a roll of her eyes. "Well, allow me some dignity. See...I left you thinking I was this goddess. I have a rep to maintain, you know."

Laughing, my head fell back to the wall with a soft thump. When I looked back at her, I said, "It's good to know that even goddesses can catch a summer cold."

She smirked, shrugged what I noticed was a bare shoulder, and asked, "Where are the boys?"

"Next door," I replied, jerking a thumb in no particular direction. "We had a pretty bad thunderstorm a couple of days ago, and they're helping the little old lady next door with a tree that sort of cracked in half. She's paying them in soda and pizza."

"You're not helping?"

"I was. I just finished mowing her lawn...and ours. They were handling the cutting of the tree limbs," I told her.

"That's sweet of you guys," she sighed, smiling up at me.

"I don't know about sweet," I chuckled, shrugging a shoulder. "It was Emmett's window that the limbs were threatening to crash into."

"Gotcha," she said, her eyes drinking in every inch of the screen in front of her. "So is that sweat?" She gestured with a finger to me.

Looking down at my chest that still had water beading on it, I snickered and shook my head no. "Nope. Just got out of a very lonely, very necessary shower."

"Lonely, huh?"

"Very," I grumbled, my arms folding across my chest. "Miserably lonely, Bella."

There was a brief look of satisfaction that crossed her gorgeous face, but it quickly changed to sympathy, only to finally settle on something I could only describe as wicked and evil.

"So..." she started, dragging out the word. "Whatcha wearin', Sarge?"

I knew that look by fucking heart. It was etched into my brain right along with her sweet laugh and her happy smile. That look told me that all bets were now off when it came to Skyping. Before we met face-to-face, we'd kept certain things blind. And by the darkening of her beautiful brown eyes, I could tell that my girl was just plain horny.

Grinning, I pushed the computer back a little on my legs. "Nothin' but a towel, baby," I said, unable to stop the sound of my voice from deepening. "Your turn, sexy girl. I believe you promised me something for the next time we talked like this..."

"I've kept that promise, Edward," she giggled, twirling my dog tags a little around her finger. "I'm only wearing these."

Suddenly, I was a desperate man. I missed her more than I could even articulate and needed to see her so badly that my whole entire body just lit on fire.

"Show me," I practically grunted like a caveman at her, the heel of my hand adjusting my instant erection at the mere thought that she'd been naked the whole time we'd been talking.

"You first," she laughed, her eyes obviously on my hand and not my face.

Yeah, I had no shame. One swift tug, and my towel came open, but I groaned out loud when my girl licked her lips at the sight on her screen. Flashes of just what that mouth could do to me flew through my mind, and I had to swallow thickly to keep from moaning again.

"Baby, please," I finally begged, my fingers twitching against my sheets when she shifted into practically the same position I was in – leaning against the headboard with her computer on her lap.

My heart, body, and soul ached to touch her again. She was beauty, perfection, and sin all wrapped up into one little package. Dark curls fell haphazardly down around her shoulders that still held a touch of the sun she'd gotten down here. Round, full breasts heaved with every breath she took, and my dick twitched hard at the sight of my dog tags all nestled between them.

"Fuck, I..." I started, but didn't even know how to put how much I missed her, wanted her, needed her. "I've missed you," I whispered, shaking my head at the same time I unknowingly touched myself. "I love you so fucking much, Bella."

"I love you, too," she breathed, her finger trailing down her stomach to her navel, her eyes locked back on my hand.

"I wanna see all of you, beautiful. Please," I purred, tilting my head at her.

She shifted again, and this time, I was looking up from my favorite place on the fucking planet – from between her legs. The only thing that would've made it better was if I'd really been there, licking her, tasting her, breathing in the flowery, earthy scent of her.

"Oh, fuck," I groaned, shaking my head. My girl was bare, spread open, and so goddamn wet that I could see it plain as day. I bit my bottom lip as I drank her in, trying my damnedest not to come at just the sight of her, though I couldn't stop my own hand if I'd tried. "Mm, baby...look at you. That sweet, beautiful pussy looks awfully wet... Does it miss me, too?"

"God, yes," she whispered, fingers trailing over nipples, her bellybutton, and down to just above her mound.

When her hips rolled all on their very own, I asked, "Do you want me to take care of you, sweet girl?"

She said my two favorite words together. "Yes, Edward."

I had to bite my lip again because my own hand was squeezing my cock with just how badly I wanted her. "Show me, love. Let me see how wet you are..."

Practically panting, I couldn't tear my eyes away as she slipped two fingers through her folds, her whole body jerking when she slid over her clit. My Bella was so fucking ready.

"Sensitive?" I asked her.

"Yeah." Her voice was barely there, but sexy and breathy and just everything that spurred me on all the more.

"What do you want, Bella?"

"You."

Her answer was expected and exactly what I wanted to hear.

Chuckling darkly, I dragged my tongue along my bottom lip, wishing like all hell that I could just taste her. Jerking my chin at her, I said, "Well, then... You'd better wake Mr. Sparkle, baby, because he needs to do me a huge favor. He's going to fuck you hard for me."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Oh, damn... Mr. Sparkle. o.O**

**I'm not saying anything. Go on...just go. I truly understand. ;) I never take it personally when you fly by. LOL**

**Mooches, Deb. :)**


	123. Chapter 123: Bella

**A/N #1: Nothing to say here except thank you for the great reviews, and here's an extra towel, just in case you need it. *hands you a towel***

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 9:57 A.M.**

Edward chuckled, a sound full of promise and dripping with lust, and slowly wet his bottom lip with his tongue, nearly making me groan aloud at where else I wanted that talented muscle. "Well, then," he said in that deep, sexy voice, "you'd better wake Mr. Sparkle, baby, because he needs to do me a huge favor. He's going to fuck you hard for me."

I wasn't sure I'd ever moved as fast as I did when I reached beside me to grab the vibrator sitting just off camera on my nightstand. "I thought we might need him," I huffed at Edward's sexy smirk.

"Mm... Tilt the screen up just a bit, sweetheart. I want to be able to see your face when you come for me."

_Oh God..._

Leaning forward, I adjusted the laptop screen a little and then sat back, waiting to see if it needed more.

His eyes grew dark as I settled back on the bed. "Perfect. Now I can see all of that gorgeous body and that beautiful face."

He gave another squeeze to his cock that I wasn't sure he was completely aware of, making me whimper. I couldn't take my eyes off of his long fingers wrapped around his length, squeezing and stroking. I wanted that to be my hand – or better yet, to wrap my lips around him as I took him deep into my mouth.

"Touch yourself," Edward said in a guttural, commanding voice. "Pretend it's me – my finger first. Just circle the outside, teasing, feeling how wet you are for me on that pretty little pussy."

_Fuck me..._

I slid my finger through the loop at the end that allowed me to hold onto the toy even during hard fucking. Tapping the button on the base to turn on the quiet vibrator, I placed it between my legs and nearly jolted off the bed as I slid it over my clit.

"Naughty girl," Edward growled. "Stay away from that clit for now, Isabella. I wouldn't go right for that, would I?"

At my whimper and shake of my head, he gave me a lazy, sexy grin. "Good girl."

Sliding the humming toy over my lower lips, I moved my other hand up to my breasts, cupping one before plucking at the hardened tip.

"Edward!" I whined, needing more. I was so horny, so sensitive, that it wasn't going to take much to put me over the edge.

"Not yet," he said, shaking his head.

I watched as he leaned over, and offscreen, I heard a drawer open and close. Then he came back into view, the hand not squeezing his cock holding a small bottle of lube. Flicking the lid open, he let go of his cock long enough to squeeze some of the clear, slippery fluid into his hand before setting it out of my view again. Once his fingers were wrapped around his cock again, he looked back up at the screen to watch me.

"Inside," he finally said, his breathing slightly faster. "Slowly. I want you to feel every inch of that sliding inside you like you feel my cock."

Gasping, I finally slipped the tip of the vibrator past my lips, having to really hold myself back from just taking it all at once. "Oh, God..." I groaned when Edward's other hand moved down to cup his balls, tugging gently.

"How's that feel, love?" he murmured.

I could almost feel the warmth of his breath as if he'd whispered it against my neck, the words and tone sending sparks from my ears to my clit, which pulsed.

"G-Good," I stammered, twisting the toy inside me.

"Keep pinching that nipple, Isabella... Make it hard for me. If I were there, you know I'd use my teeth and tongue to make it as hard as you make my cock—"

The noise that came out of me made Edward's cock jump in his hand. I couldn't take my eyes off the sight of him squeezing and stroking as he continued talking.

"—but since I'm not, you have to do my job for me."

Pinching and twisting my nipple, I felt it harden even further under my fingers. Moving across, I did the same to the other, my hips beginning to rock as the vibrator finally slid all the way inside me.

"God, that's a gorgeous view," Edward groaned. "Now fuck yourself with that toy, baby. I want to hear it as it slides through all those juices that I can see on those bare lips."

I didn't hesitate to follow his order. My eyes still glued to his hand on his cock, I slid the vibrator all the way inside myself, tapping the button on the bottom to turn the speed up to the other, faster level.

"Oh, God!" I cried, fucking myself harder as the vibrations moved through my pussy to my clit. My legs fell farther apart, and my hips began moving to meet the thrusts.

Edward's strokes on his cock were faster and uneven, and every time I cried out, I could see him falter before moving his hand again.

"Fuck, Bella," he groaned. "Come for me. I want more than one from you, sweetheart. Can you do that for me?"

Nodding, I whimpered as I worked myself with the vibrator. I was so turned on by watching him – by knowing he was watching me – that it wouldn't take much. The moment I slid the vibrating toy over my throbbing clit, I was done for.

Edward's name spilled from my lips as I crashed over the edge of my orgasm. It seemed to go on forever, that tightening of every muscle inside and out, the heat that spread from my toes to the top of my head. I was gasping, whimpering his name as I came hard. My eyes slammed shut – I couldn't have held them open if I'd tried – and I slid the toy back inside me until the sensation became overwhelming. Without opening my eyes, I finally pushed the button to turn off the vibration and pulled the toy out of me with a shiver; even that movement against my hyper-sensitive skin was enough to make my insides clench.

"God, Bella," Edward breathed. "Stunning, love."

I opened my eyes to find his own green ones nearly black with desire, his hand squeezing his cock so tightly, I was afraid he would burst.

"Mmm..." I pulled my lower lip between my teeth, feeling my breath catch. "What I wouldn't give to be there to take care of that...big problem myself," I told him, smirking when he growled and loosened his grip on his cock, stroking himself once.

"Tell me," he groaned. "Make yourself ready again, and tell me what you'd do if you were here."

With a whimper, I slid the toy inside me and took a deep breath. "Well, I'd start by running a thumb over the head and gathering that precum so I could taste it..."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Yes, still more to go. *grin* Need another towel? ;) – Jenny**


	124. Chapter 124: Edward

**A/N #1: Turnabout's fair play, right? Continue said LEMON WARNING...**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Saturday, July 17 at 1:15 P.M.**

"Mmm..." Bella hummed, long and low, pulling my gaze up from the beautiful sight between her legs back to her face. Her teeth latched down onto her bottom lip for a second before she said, "What I wouldn't give to be there to take care of that...big problem myself."

I wanted to tease her, tell her that flattery was going to get her everywhere, but my dick twitched hard when she licked her lips again. "Tell me," I ordered, my eyes dragging from the top of her head down every stunning inch of her to where she was still wet for me. "Make yourself ready again, and tell me what you'd do if you were here."

The sweetest of sounds escaped her, which only caused my hand to grip my cock harder, but it was her words that caused a groan of want and longing to rumble out of my chest.

"Well, I'd start by running a thumb over the head and gathering that precum so I could taste it..."

"Fuck," I panted, closing my eyes for the briefest of moments as my thumb did what she commanded – that was a move of hers that I couldn't forget. Every time she touched my dick, she'd taste me, relish the flavor, and damn, it was so fucking hot. And even though I knew exactly what the answer was, I asked, "What would you do next, love?" My eyes locked back with hers, my hand matching the slow rhythm she was setting with that toy.

But as she said, "I'd drag my tongue along that vein underneath, Edward," my fingers acted it out, which caused my hips to buck...and the computer to shake. "Easy, babe," she soothed. "I'll take care of you. I promise."

God, she was so open and ready, wet and wanting as I gazed at her. The miles between us were suddenly too many. I wanted to crawl up to her beautiful face, sink myself inside of her as far as I could go, and lose myself in her. I wanted that comfort she brought with her, that sweet peace that only she could give me, and I wanted to connect to the other half of my soul.

"Together, Bella..." I told her, biting my bottom lip as with every push of her hand using that toy, my own gripped my shaft and slid down to my base, as if I was truly taking her. "You're so fucking beautiful," I barely ground out as her hips rolled and her hand left her breast. As it slipped down her stomach, I was lost to the sight of small fingers expertly finding exactly where to touch.

With a twist of my wrist and another hand to my balls, I watched as she lost herself, her eyes only on me. Her gaze was hooded, dark, looking up at me through her long eyelashes. A flash of pink tongue raked across her bottom lip before her teeth latched down on it. And I could practically feel her hot breath on my neck as the sweet whimpers of need and encouragement escaped her.

"More, Edward," she murmured, her head thumping back to the headboard with a soft sound. Her knees spread wider, her toes started to curl, and I fucking loved that I could read her so well.

"Angle it, baby," I practically growled. "You know I'd hit that spot hard...just to hear..."

"Fuck...shit!" she gasped, and despite how close I was to my own climax, I smiled when she angled her toy to hit that sweet, sensitive spot inside her.

"Yeah...again, Bella," I ordered. "I'd never hit it just once. I'd hit it until you begged me to stop, sweet girl...'til that beautiful pussy couldn't take it anymore."

"So close..." she breathed, her mouth hanging open beautifully.

"Not yet, love," I warned her, feeling sweat breaking out across my forehead.

It wasn't that I wasn't right there with her. I was. I was so fucking close. But fuck me, I didn't want the sight on my computer screen to end. Ever. Everything about my girl was flushing pink, every muscle was taut and flexed, and I'd missed the sounds she made as she got closer and closer to the edge. She'd pant her love for me, my name never, _ever_ sounded as good as it did when she was begging me, and I swore that time stood still; the entire universe faded away. All that mattered was her.

I tried my damnedest to keep my focus on Bella because I needed to come. "Harder, baby. It's been so long. I want you to feel this tomorrow. Every time you sit down, you'll be reminded of just who that pussy belongs to... Tell me, Isabella..."

"You... It's yours," she cried, her eyes squeezing closed as she worked herself harder. "Edward...baby, _please_!"

When her head fell back, when her eyes could no longer stay open, I gave in.

"Now...come now, Bella," I instructed, my stomach already starting to feel the deep, hot burn, my balls tightening higher. "I love you so much, baby. Come."

As soon as the hissing sound of, "Yessss," erupted from her, I allowed myself to finally let go.

I came hard, my seed spilling onto my stomach in hot spurts, and instead of the empty feeling of having taken care of myself, I felt sated for the first time since my girl had left because at least this time, I wasn't alone. My head fell back to the headboard, my entire body twitching as my muscles settled down from the exertion of staving off my climax as well as just how good I fucking felt.

"I feel boneless," I heard from the computer, and I huffed a single laugh, another muscle jerk wracking my frame.

"Me, too," I sighed, not even having the energy to look at her yet. "Like jello. Or warm bread dough."

It was the sweet giggle that had me finally peeking up at her. She'd shifted so that her body was on its side, holding a pillow along her front that looked awfully familiar and propping her head up on her hand. The dark blue of my pillowcase contrasted with the pale pink sheets surrounding her, but I didn't say a word as I cleaned myself up and draped my towel back over me.

I was pretty sure I needed another fucking shower.

"Yeah?" Bella giggled.

"Did I say that out loud?" I laughed, shrugging a shoulder. "I think my brain to mouth control is off..."

She laughed again. "Temporarily disabled," she added.

"Exactly," I sighed, sinking down a bit in my bed but keeping the computer on my lap.

"I love you, babe," she sighed, and I smiled at just how happy she looked when she said it. Her sweet brown eyes sparkled with amusement over what we'd just done and with a love that warmed me from head to toe.

"I miss you," I countered with a shake of my head because yes, I missed the sex, but I missed holding her just as much, if not more. Like I would've done right then. I missed how she made me feel like a fucking giant of a hero and a slave to her all at the same time.

"Two and a half months, Edward," she reminded me, wearing a sweet, but sad smile.

"I know. We'll make it, sweet girl," I vowed. We had no choice, and the light at the end of the tunnel was utter bliss in my mind. I'd be out of the Army..._and_ I'd have my girl. Permanently.

"I know," she said, shrugging a shoulder. "It won't be so bad when school starts back in a month. I'll at least be busy enough to not dwell on it. Plus, I have to start getting ready for you."

Grinning, I tilted my head at her. "Oh, yeah? Like how?"

"Well," she sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes, "I have old boyfriends' phone numbers to burn, I need to hide my porn collection, and there's a room that needs to be cleaned out because I think a piano is going in there..."

Laughing, I shook my head at her. "Sounds like a good plan, baby. Though, keep the porn," I whispered, winking when she giggled.

"Fine," she snickered, waving the hand that was back on my dog tags, sending a clinking sound straight to my heart.

"Two weeks is too long. I'm spoiled, Bella. I've missed your face," I murmured, soaking in every inch of its beauty while I could. I had no plans for the rest of the day, so I asked the one question that always gave me the sweet sound of her voice. "Tell me what I've missed..."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I love that... "Tell me what I've missed..." Just so he can listen.**

**Okay, so time moved forward a little. It will continue to do so. Remember that stages thing I told you about? Where I said I saw this fic in different stages? Well, we passed the biggest stage – the two weeks in Florida. There is a couple more stages I can't wait for you guys to get to, so like I said...time will continue to flow forward.**

**I hope you liked the surprise double postings. I really, really couldn't see splitting up a Skype date. We haven't before, so why start now? ;) Okay, troops, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	125. Chapter 125: Bella

**A/N #1: Whew! I hope you guys survived! ;) That was quite the Skype call, huh? Thank you for all the sweet words. You make us smile every day with all the love. Ok, so if you look at the date on the chapter, it's the end of July. We told you we'd skip time, didn't we? Now, it's time for some relaxation & work with the girls, so enjoy!**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 8:42 A.M.**

I was elbow deep in cookie dough and muffin batter when Alice and Rose let themselves in and found their way to the kitchen. If I got some stuff to the post office before noon, the boys would get it on Monday, so it needed to go out today. I'd been up since about seven, unable to sleep, so I'd been baking.

"God, Bells," Rose huffed, shaking her head. "Say some of those are for us, too." She was eyeing both the blueberry and chocolate chip muffins hungrily.

Laughing, I tilted my head to the microwave. "Hit the button to start that. I set some aside for us. They just need to be warmed up. You brought coffee?"

Alice buzzed into the room, holding a tray with three large to-go cups in it. "Right here. I got a venti, figuring you needed it since you made us come over this early."

I cleaned off as much of the remaining dough from my hands as I could and then picked up the cup, bringing it to my mouth for a long, delicious sip. "Mmm. Perfect."

Rose grabbed the plate of muffins when the ding echoed through the kitchen and followed us to the table.

Over breakfast, Alice shared some big news. "My parents are going to Haiti."

"What?" I asked, completely confused. When I looked to my left, Rose was echoing my fish expression.

She frowned, shrugging. "There is still a ton of relief effort going on after the earthquake there in January. Dad is to go over to fill in for a friend of his who is over there with his wife. But they just found out the wife is pregnant, so they decided they wanted to come home now instead of December like they'd planned."

"Wow, Ali," Rose murmured. "Are you going to be okay?"

Alice shrugged again. "The only other time they've been out of the country was when Jasper was home. But then...Jazz is only in Florida, so he's not in the middle of the war zone anymore. I'll be okay."

"When do they leave?" I looked at her, raising an eyebrow in question.

"They aren't sure exactly yet. Sometime in the next few weeks." Alice sighed before turning to me with a smile. "Now, what are our plans?"

Grinning, I told them more about what I wanted to do today.

Once I was finished, Alice mumbled around her bite of blueberry, "So basically, we're going to try to empty out the guest room completely today?"

Nodding, I took another bite of the chocolate chip, chewing thoroughly before answering. "Yeah, the bed can be broken down and put into storage, the desk can be tossed – I was looking at it yesterday and decided it's old enough and beaten up enough that there's no point in saving it – and I want to move all the papers out to the dining room so I can go through them."

"You're going to put up some bookshelves right? So why not just leave the books in there to put up on those once they are up?" Rose took a sip of coffee, raising an eyebrow in question.

I grinned and tilted my chin toward the corner of the room, where two regular and one small can of paint sat with rollers, brushes, and everything else we'd need.

"Oh, man..." Alice looked down at her clothes. "I'm glad I wore old clothes."

"Did you bring Jasper's truck?" I asked, smooshing the rest of the crumbs with my finger to pop them into my mouth.

She nodded. "Yup. You want to use it to move the bed?"

"Yeah. The mattress won't fit in my car. This way, if I have any boxes that can be stored, we can move them, too. With the three of us, it shouldn't be too heavy." I shrugged. "But first, I want to get that last batch of cookies in the oven so they have time to cook and cool before we send the box of stuff for the boys. You guys brought what you want to send?"

They nodded, and Rose pointed back toward the living room. "It's all in there. I'm just sending Em a shirt and a video."

I _so_ didn't want to know, but I did file that idea away for later.

Alice smirked. "Jazz is getting pictures, a shirt, and...other clothes."

Holding up a hand, I chuckled. "Yeah, enough said, both of you."

"Oh please," Alice scoffed. "Like you aren't sending something naughty to Edward." She grinned.

I grinned and shook my head. "Not this time. I have an idea for next time, though..."

~oooOOOooo~

For the rest of the morning, as I finished the cookies and packed up the box, the girls and I chatted about the start of school. They tried to pry more information out of me about my idea, but I wasn't budging. I knew it had to do with Edward's piano, which was supposed to be delivered with the rest of his stuff at some point in the next couple of weeks, but until I'd figured out just what I wanted to do, I wasn't spilling. So instead, we talked about who would be taking over the spot for the now retired fourth grade teacher, whether or not Mrs. Johnson, the first grade teacher who was pregnant and due a month or so after school started would actually be there for the start of school, and various other gossip about the teachers and upcoming school year.

"Okay, I think that's it," Rose said, setting in the last box of cookies. "Did we miss anything?"

I peeked in and saw the three T-shirts, as well as the dozens of cookies, muffins, lemon bars, and various other goodies I'd been making the last few days. I'd made quite a few – each of their favorites, as well as a bunch for the three of them to share. I'd sent a few pictures in the last box, so I was just sending back his shirts to get "re-scented."

"Looks good," I said as Alice nodded.

We taped up the box, wrote out the address info on a paper we then taped to the front, and then Alice volunteered to take it to the post office.

"You guys can start moving boxes of books and papers out of the room, and then we can do the bed and desk and stuff when I get back," she said, picking up the box, which seemed about as big as Alice herself.

~oooOOOooo~

Rose and I worked in silence, moving box after box, and when Alice returned, we took apart the bed and moved it out to the truck. Alice and Rose would stop by the storage unit when they left here and unload it. Getting it out of the truck and into the small unit would be easier than getting it up into the truck had been, so they'd have no problem doing it by themselves. Rose was used to working on heavy cars, and Alice was small but stronger than she looked, so I wasn't worried.

Once the desk was out at the curb with a "Free!" sign, the room was empty. I grabbed my phone and took a few shots of the room with the pretty hardwood floor and plain white walls. Opening a text, I attached the pictures and wrote out a few lines for Edward.

_B: Hey, babe! Hope you're relaxing on your day off! Here's what the girls and I have been doing!_

It wasn't three minutes later when my phone beeped with a reply.

_E: Hi, sweetheart. Wow! You ladies have been busy! Jasper said that room was pretty filled the last time he saw it. Did you do that all today?_

_B: We did, yeah. We're going to paint now, too, so it's dry and ready for your piano and stuff whenever they get delivered._

_E: That's great, Bella. Thank you so much, love. It means the world that you're making the room for that._

_B: Of course, Sarge. Wherever you go, the piano goes, and there's no question that you're coming here. Plus, you know how much I love hearing you play. I'm excited to have that opportunity anytime we want once you're here!_

_E: Me, too. I swear, every time I sit down at the keyboard, I imagine you beside me and remember playing for you, and it makes me miss you all the more._

_B: That will always be one of my favorite memories of my trip to Florida, Edward...hearing you play._

"Bella, let's paint!"

I turned to see Rose and Alice in the doorway, holding all the stuff we needed. "K. Give me a sec."

_B: I need to go. The girls want to paint so we can relax the rest of the day. I'll send you pictures once the paint is on so you can see!_

_E: Have fun! Love you, sweet girl._

_B: Love you, too._

I tossed my phone into the hall and took the plastic sheeting from Rose's hands. "All right, let's get to work."

~oooOOOooo~

Nearly two hours later, the first coat was done, including the "Delicious Melon," a pale, pale orange-yellow for 3 walls, including the wall with the French doors, and "Emotional," an adobe type darker color for the wall I was going to put a loveseat in front of. They needed a second coat, but that would have to wait until at least tonight. I wasn't in a huge rush. We'd gotten almost as much paint on ourselves as we had on the walls, and I knew I needed to show Edward, so I made sure my hands were clean and then picked up my phone, snapping a couple of pictures of the room before handing the phone to Rose.

"Take a couple of me to send to Edward," I said with a giggle, looking at the orange hand prints Alice had put over my boobs on my chest. Then I turned around so she could get a picture of the hand prints she'd left on my ass.

After taking pictures of them with their phones so they could send them to Emmett and Jasper, I attached the new photos of the room and myself to a new text to Edward.

_B: Well, first coat is done, and as you can see, I'm in dire need of a shower. How we managed to get it in my hair, I'll never know. I'll call you after, if that's ok?_

_E: **laugh** I'd say I should be jealous of those hand prints, baby, but truth be told, I'm actually just REALLY turned on. Of course you can call me after. You'd better! I miss your voice. Now go get cleaned up, love, and I'll talk to you in a few minutes._

I laughed, shaking my head, and then walked the girls to the door. Once they were gone, I headed to the shower, still giggling at Edward being turned on because of the hand prints on my chest and ass.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ahh, getting the house ready for Edward. I love it. :) You can check out our profile for links to my site, Deb's blog, & Facebook. I have a picture that shows the colors I chose for the music room/library at Bella's house.**

**Leave me some love, and then see what Sarge has to say today. *hugs* – Jenny**


	126. Chapter 126: Edward

**A/N #1: The first part of this chapter is a forwarded email. It's written just like you'd see in your own inbox...which means the original email sent by Sarge is the bottom message and the replies are above it, but I think you guys can figure it out.**

**Note again the timestamp...it's the end of July. Okay?**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sat, July 31, 2010 at 8:25 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, July 31, 2010 at 5:25 A.M.  
Subject: Fwd: Re: The property of Sgt. Edward A. Masen Jr.

Hello, my sweet girl...

I just wanted to keep you in the loop. This is all the shipping stuff you'll need, but as you can see, I gave them your contact information in case they need you. I don't think they'll bug you until they actually get to Seattle. But if they do, just call me. I'll help you with anything they need to know.

I love you, Bella. My life is in your hands, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Forever yours,  
Edward

- Forwarded message -  
From: Marcus Volturi  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sat, July 31, 2010 at 10:05 A.M.  
Date Received: Sat, July 31, 2010 at 11:05 A.M.  
Subject: Re: The property of Sgt. Edward A. Masen Jr.

Sgt. Masen,

It would be my pleasure to personally see to it that your things are loaded and transported safely. Your father, Edward Sr., was kind enough to take me on fresh out of law school, so it's the least I could do to help his son get settled.

I've researched local movers, and you'll see that I attached the information of the company that I've hired. They come highly recommended, especially concerning the moving of your piano. Though, I did take the liberty of using their insurance policy just to be on the safe side. To make things easier on Miss Swan, they've agreed to set it up for her, as well.

I'm personally meeting them at your storage facility next week. I'll email you photos as they're loading. You or Miss Swan can inspect everything once it arrives in Seattle, just to check for any damages through transport. Please let me know immediately if any damages do occur, and we'll pursue just compensation.

Please let me know if there is anything else you'll be needing. I'll be glad to see to it that all your financial information is taken care of until you settle in Seattle.

Thank you,  
Marcus Volturi, Esq.  
Denali, Volturi, & Associates

On July 30, 2010 8:22 A.M., "Edward Masen" Edward A. Masen wrote:

Marcus,

I appreciate your taking over my case. I hold no ill will toward Garrett Denali, but due to the close and personal nature of our relationship, I thought it was best that I obtain a different lawyer.

My question to you is this: Would you please be kind enough to start the shipping process of my things from Chicago to Seattle? Attached is the address and contact information of Miss Isabella Swan. She will be taking possession of my things until October, when I'll be leaving Florida to join her. Please make sure you obtain a moving company that can handle my piano since not all movers will do so. Trust me, it was a task getting it moved into storage.

Please let me know if there will be any problems getting this done. And thank you for confirmation that Miss Swan has been added as my beneficiary.

Sincerely,  
Sgt. E. A. Masen Jr.

~oooOOOooo~

**Tampa... Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 9:18 P.M.**

Popping the last bite of sandwich into my mouth, I flipped through my phone. The house was quiet because Emmett and Jasper were shooting pool with some of the guys. They'd invited me as usual, but I'd declined. I knew I'd be hearing from Bella at some point today. And I had, which caused me to smile as I looked at the last of the pictures she'd just sent.

I shook my head at the paint hand prints clearly on her breasts and ass, but it was the happy, silly grin she was sporting that made my chest swell. Bella occasionally needed reassurance that there was light at the end of this long ass tunnel, and I didn't blame her one bit. Our beginning wasn't exactly the norm, so some of our relationship was pure, blind faith. If the information about the movers didn't help set her mind at ease, then only my arrival would, but I just hoped it helped. For me, on the other hand, seeing my girl absolutely stupid with happiness about cleaning out a spare room just for me, for my things... Well, there was nothing like it.

My phone started to vibrate and ring in my hands, and I immediately picked up.

"There's my little Van Gogh," I chuckled.

"God, I hope not. He went mad and cut his own ear off!" she countered with a laugh. "I miss you, babe, but um...no."

Laughing, my head fell to the back of the sofa. "I like your ears. Leave them."

"I think I will, thank you very much," she sighed happily. "Looks okay, right? The room?"

"Oh, sweetheart, it could be painted camo for all I care. It's beautiful," I told her honestly. "I can't wait to see what you do next."

"I'll send you more pictures soon, I promise," she vowed.

"Hey," I said, sitting up straighter. "Did you check your email this morning?"

"No, sweetie, not yet; I knew I'd call you. Why?"

"I forwarded the movers' info to you. They'll be loading up sometime next week, so you should be getting it all by the sixth or seventh. Is that okay? Will you be done by then?" I asked her, thinking I may have been rushing her.

"That's perfect, actually," she squealed, making me grin. "All I have left is to put the bookshelves back once the paint is dry."

"Speaking of paint, sexy girl," I growled dramatically in order to tease her. "Care to tell me whose hands touched what's mine?"

Her laugh was loud and silly. "Yeah, Alice's. She came up behind me and did it. I got her back, though. I rolled that rusty color all the way down her back. It's all still yours, handsome, because Alice isn't my type. Trust me."

"I do," I said with a smile. "Totally. But for a minute there, I thought some neighbor came over..."

"Edward, I live next door to an elderly woman, who, by the way, is just itching to meet you. Says you're a fox," she giggled.

"I am a fox," I chuckled, letting the sound of her laugh warm me through and through. "You didn't show her my underwear picture, did you?"

"No! That's all mine."

"Good," I sighed in relief. "Not that I care, really, but it would be a little uncomfortable knowing that the little old lady next door has seen what I look like in my skivvies before I even move in."

"She'd like it, though. She's a shameless thing," Bella chuckled.

Smiling, I could feel my whole body relax at just this simple conversation. I couldn't wait for any of it – meeting neighbors and Charlie, learning to get around a new city, trying to figure out my career. Which reminded me...

"Baby, when I get home, there's something we need to talk about," I started, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Okay," she said, dragging out the word.

"It's just... I need to figure out what I'm going to do once I'm there," I told her. "Your father offered to help me join the police force in Seattle, but..." I paused when she groaned. "Exactly, sweet girl. I don't know if I could do that to _you_. You already worry about your dad, and he's in a small town. This would be a big city. I saw your face when I got hurt. I don't know if I could take seeing you like that again."

"Edward, I'd back whatever decision you made. Honestly," she said, but I wasn't convinced. "Would I be terrified of something happening to you? Yes, but that wouldn't change, even if you were just driving to the damn store."

"I know that, but I was thinking of...going back to school," I said softly, unsure of what she'd think. "Is that stupid? I mean, I would be like the oldest freshman there." I chuckled, running a hand over my short hair.

"It doesn't matter your age, babe," she giggled. "School? Really? What for?"

"Music Education. I want to teach piano like my mother," I stated, bracing myself for laughter, but it didn't come.

"Oh, Edward. I think you'd be really good at it. And yeah, if that's what you want, I'm a hundred percent behind you," she gushed.

"I have time to decide, and I'm sure that I'll need to re-test and shit, but I just... I mean... I can still take care of you, Bella," I rambled, standing up and started to pace.

"Babe, stop. I know you'll take care of me. I'm not worried about it," she stated firmly. "Why don't you give it some more thought, and we can talk about it again once you're here? But I will tell you that U-Dub has a fantastic music department."

"Yeah?" I asked, leaning in the kitchen. "I think Jasper's thinking of school, too. History or something. I heard him talking to Alice the other night."

"Well, good. You can go together. Then you won't be the only old man," she teased.

Grinning, I rolled my eyes. "I'll show you _old man_, Isabella."

"You'd make a cute old man," she mused aloud, which only caused me to laugh.

"Hush, sexy girl. I'm pretty sure you'll drive me to an early grave just by trying to keep up with you. I'm not done exploring every inch of you, beautiful," I crooned to her, just to hear the sweet moan echo over the phone.

"Yeah, what a way to go...death by orgasm... I'll be sure to put that on your tombstone, babe," she said wryly.

Laughing, I shook my head, glancing up when the boys pulled into the driveway. I walked down the hall to my bedroom, closing the door behind me; I just wanted my girl. No distractions.

I fell down onto my bed, gazing up at the ceiling. "So school starts soon. You ready?" I asked her, letting her sweet voice fill the void of not having her with me. In fact, I planned on keeping her talking all damn night because damn, I just missed her.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Yay! The piano is on its way from Chicago! :D And Sarge wants to teach piano...**

**Okay, guys, as you can see, we're keeping our couple pretty busy, but I'm sure you're still counting the days... LOL**

**I want to thank all of you for keeping us laughing. I swear you guys totally rock! :) From the advice on buying ShamWow stock to those amazing yet quite disturbing pick up lines. You are the best! :)**

**See you guys tomorrow... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	127. Chapter 127: Bella

**A/N #1: I have to say that these two chapters are one of my favorite sets of the story. We jump ahead a little bit more, so check out the timestamp before you start reading. :)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, August 06, 2010 at 4:24 P.M.**

"Nope," I said into the phone, tucking it between my ear and my shoulder. "I haven't heard from them yet, but I expect to anytime."

Alice made a "hmming" sound for a moment and then was quiet. "You're sure they are supposed to be there today?"

I shrugged without thinking she wouldn't be able to see me, nearly dropping the phone in the process. "Edward told me they left Chicago yesterday and that he was told before six o'clock tonight. So..."

"You want me to come over and wait with you? You don't have to be alone when they get there, you know."

Smiling, I shifted the phone from my shoulder to my hand. "I'm not worried about that, but if you guys want to come over for dinner, I have some chicken breasts marinating. I was planning to do a big salad, and there's plenty of stuff for all of us."

"I'll call Rose," she promptly said, adding, "We'll be there in a few."

"Okay," I told her, laughing as she hung up.

My phone beeped, signaling an incoming message.

_E: Hi, beautiful. Have they gotten there yet? You aren't alone, are you?_

I laughed as I hit Reply.

_B: Not you, too! Alice just asked me about being here alone when they showed up (and no, they haven't yet). Don't worry, she and Rose are coming over for dinner anytime, so I won't be alone for long._

_E: Good, I was worried. I know you can take care of yourself, but it's in my nature to worry about you._

_B: And I love you for that. I'll be fine. I promise. Now, I thought you guys were going out to the bar to shoot some pool or something tonight. Did plans change?_

Just as I hit Send, my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Yes, this is Frank, from Chicago Moovers. Is this—" there was a pause and a shuffle of papers in the background "—Isabella Swan?"

Sitting up straight, I answered, "Yes, this is she."

"Oh, good. Just wanted to double check that you were home. We should be arriving at your address in the next hour or so. We had a flat tire, or we'd have been there sooner."

I smiled, knowing that the delay would make my girls and Edward feel better because I wouldn't be alone when the movers arrived. "Yup, I'll be here. I parked in my neighbor's drive today, so you have plenty of space to pull into the driveway."

"Okay, great. See you then."

Hanging up the phone, I saw that I had a new text from Edward. Before opening that, I shot off a new one to Alice.

_B: Park on street. Just heard from movers. Here in hour or so._

Then I flipped over to Edward's text.

_E: Nope. We just got there, actually. We had to take Jasper's truck because my SUV has a flat – which we found out when we got outside to leave._

_B: That seems to be going around. Just heard from the movers. They had a flat tire so they were running behind. Should be here in an hour or so. The girls will be here before then._

_E: Good. Call if you need me, love._

_B: Will do. Love you! Have fun!_

_E: Love you, too, sweet girl. Say hello to Alice & Rose._

~oooOOOooo~

Just under two hours later, I tried to hand Frank a tip for himself and his two guys, Dustin and Steve, but he waved me off.

"Already covered." He handed me a business card, which had the same picture of the cows carrying a sofa that I'd seen on the side of their truck. "Call this number if you find something wrong later or the next time you need something moved."

"Thanks so much," I told him, smiling at the three of them. They'd been polite, friendly, and hadn't made me feel at all nervous once, and all of Edward's things had been in perfect condition from what I could tell. "Have a safe drive back to Chicago."

"Thank you, ma'am," the three of them echoed before stepping through the front door and closing it behind them.

Alice and Rose giggled from their spots on the couch.

"I think Dustin – _call me Dusty, ma'am_ – had a crush," Alice sang, drawing out the last word.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, Steve couldn't take his eyes off you, and Frank certainly smiled at Rose enough."

"He was old enough to be my father," Rose said with a shudder. "Nice guy, though."

Laughing, I agreed with a nod and then turned to the corner of the living room, which was now crammed with stuff. "I wonder if Edward knew about that stuff," I said, gesturing to the furniture. "From what he'd mentioned, he was only expecting the piano and a few boxes."

"Open the letter and find out," Alice prompted.

Shaking my head, I picked up the sealed envelope and turned it over in my hands. "It's addressed to Edward. I'll tell him about it and let him decide what he wants me to do."

I pulled my phone from my pocket and walked back to the spare bedroom-turned-music room. Seeing the piano a second time still took my breath away. It had been dusty when they first delivered it, but while Rose and Alice supervised the unloading of the rest of the stuff, I had cleaned it using some old T-shirts that I'd relegated to the cleaning pile. A bit of damp cloth to get off the dust, and the black surface was shining like new. I could imagine Edward sitting down on the matching bench behind the keys and playing for me, and my heart just ached for it. Suddenly, I just needed to hear his voice. I didn't want to interrupt his guy time, though, so I decided to send him a text.

Snapping a picture of the piano, I attached it to the message.

_B: It's all here, babe. Everything looks great. The piano, as you can see, is gorgeous and fits perfectly. I think we have...more than you anticipated. *laugh* Have fun with the guys, and call me after, ok? Love you!_

When he hadn't replied in a couple of minutes, I figured it was too loud in the bar for him to hear the message alert, so I stuck my phone back in my pocket and headed back to the girls. Edward would call when he got the message, so for now, I would just relax and enjoy my evening with my friends.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: His stuff is there! Yay! So what got delivered besides the piano? You'll find out next chapter. I do have to say that Deb & I had a lot of fun coming up with the stuff and finding pictures. :)**

**Ok, leave some love, please. Every word means the world to us and lets us know you're still enjoying it. :) *mwah* – Jenny**


	128. Chapter 128: Edward

**A/N #1: Yay! All of Sarge's things made it safe and sound. :) I will tell you that this has a possible TISSUE WARNING. At least, that's what I've been told. Don't panic. Just...go read. :)**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Friday, August 06, 2010 at 10:23 P.M.**

_B: It's all here, babe. Everything looks great. The piano, as you can see, is gorgeous and fits perfectly. I think we have...more than you anticipated. *laugh* Have fun with the guys, and call me after, ok? Love you!_

"Fuck, I missed a text from Bella," I sighed, walking through the parking lot of the bar.

I stumbled a few steps, coming to a complete and utter halt as I took in my piano now sitting in Bella's house. It fit. Hell, not only did it fit, but my girl had made the room just beautiful. It looked like it fucking belonged there.

"Just call her when we get home," Jasper sort of slurred, tossing me the keys to his rental truck.

He'd had a little more to drink than I'd had. In fact, I tended to drink less than the two of them when we went out. Emmett wasn't much better, but he was talking to Rose on the phone as we all piled in.

"Yeah," I muttered, sending Bella a quick text back.

_E: Hey, sweet girl. I'll call you in 10 min. Sorry I missed your message._

_B: No biggie. Can't wait, handsome! :)_

"So your shit came today," Emmett chuckled happily from the back seat now that he was off the phone, smacking my shoulder lightly. "Rosie said she was over there, man. That's awesome!"

Grinning because I just fucking couldn't help it, I said, "It did. Bella sent a picture and everything." I pulled out of the parking lot onto the main road. "Though, she said there was more than she'd anticipated."

I frowned, trying to remember just exactly what had been in that storage unit. I hadn't really paid attention to the email that Marcus had sent. I'd seen a few boxes, my piano and its bench, but I hadn't really thought to look for anything else. Plus, I trusted Bella to keep an eye out for anything wrong.

Once we were home and I'd kicked off my shoes and fallen onto the bed, I dialed Bella.

"Now you _have_ to come to Seattle. I'm holding your stuff hostage," she giggled in answer to only one ring of the phone.

"I would've come without my stuff, sweet girl," I chuckled. "No need to threaten innocent boxes."

"Oh, gotcha," she snickered happily. "Did you have fun tonight? Are you drunk?"

"I did, and no, I'm...comfortably numb," I told her, shrugging a shoulder that I realized she couldn't see. "I only had a few beers. Em and Jazz, on the other hand..." I huffed a laugh. "I'm sure they'll sleep in tomorrow."

"Oh, boy."

"Yeah. So everything looked okay? It'd been in storage for ages." I sat up, shifting to lean against the headboard.

"It looks perfect, babe. I didn't see one problem. And God, that piano is gorgeous."

Smiling, I sighed. "Yeah, I can't wait to play it again."

"Well, the movers suggested having it tuned, due to the move, but...me, either," she told me.

"Beautiful, what did you mean by more than anticipated? There should be only a handful of boxes."

"No, sweetie, there was chest, a leather chair, a rocking chair, and a desk, too. There's also a letter that came with it," she explained.

"Well, what's it say?" I asked, curious as to how I hadn't remembered those other things.

"Edward, I didn't open your stuff," she answered nervously.

"Please," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "I've got no secrets from you, love. Will you read it to me? It's probably from the lawyer."

There was a rustling of paper over the line, and my girl was quiet for a moment.

"Oh, it's from Irina," she said softly, and then she started reading.

"_Dear Edward,_

_I hope that this letter...and your things...find you well. Garrett found out when the movers were emptying your storage, and I wanted to make sure a few things made it to you. Sweetie, these were important things that I think Elizabeth would have wanted you to keep, but you were so intent on just... Well, maybe if I remind you of their history, you'll understand why I did it._

_The rocking chair and the hope chest were your mother's. If I'm not mistaken, she rocked you in that thing every night when you were a baby, but the chest had been passed down from her mother. I'm not really sure what's in it. The desk was your father's in his home office, and the only reason I thought you might want it was because you used to sit behind it and pretend to be him from just about the time you could walk. He loved it, Edward. You have no idea. And that manly leather chair was the same chair you two would watch baseball games in until you were too big to sit on his lap. I thought Liz would lose her mind every time you ate popcorn in it, but she loved watching the two of you in your little bubble of teams, players, and stats._

_Look, sweetheart, I understand wanting to get away, especially after Ed's death. And I completely understood why you left all of it behind, but you were young, grieving, and not thinking so clearly, so I took the liberty of thinking ahead for you. Please don't be upset with me. If you don't want these things, that's fine, but I thought I'd at least give you the option. These things...they're your history, your memories, and good ones, at that._

_All I want for you, Edward...all your parents wanted for you, sweetie...was for you to be happy, and from the sound of it, you've achieved it. You've grown into an extremely honorable, smart young man. Your parents would be so proud of you, and know that Garrett and I are, too, because you could have taken a different path, a darker path, but you didn't. I'm so very grateful that you're out of the line of fire and back in the U.S. And I want you to know that just because things didn't work out with Tanya doesn't mean you can't come to me or Garrett if you need us. We'll always be there for you, son._

_Much love,_

_Irina"_

I rubbed my eye with the heel of my hand, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Is it too much, Bella? Will it fit...at least until I can see them?"

"I've made it fit, Edward," she stated firmly, but her voice was gentle, like the sweet touches to my face I missed. "The rocking chair and the chest fit just fine in the bedroom. And the leather chair has already made friends with my sofa."

I snorted, shaking my head and sighing. "And the desk?" I asked, having forgotten just how much I'd loved my father's office, how many hours I'd just hung out in there with him.

"Well, it's out of the way for now," she started. "We weren't sure if it would fit in the room with the piano, so it's tucked away in the corner of my dining room. You boys can move it when you get home."

_Home._

"Okay," I whispered, suddenly so fucking homesick for my girl that I was almost physically ill. "I should probably call her and thank her, huh?"

"Yes, babe. You should. That was incredible of her to do that for you," Bella said, a reverent tone to her voice. "She and your mom were close?"

"Yeah." I huffed a laugh. "Like sisters. Maybe my mother told her to do it. I don't know."

"Or maybe they knew each other so well that she didn't have to ask," she suggested. "I would know what Alice would want saved."

"Maybe."

"Oh, and I stacked your boxes in the piano room. You can go through them when you get here," Bella said.

"Sweet girl, if you need to—"

"I'm not going through your stuff without you," she interrupted with a giggle. "First of all, boxes mean the possibility of spiders, and you'll truly have to save me from that nightmare. And second, I'd rather you be here..."

Smiling, I said, "Yes, ma'am."

"Besides, who knows if you have some sort of panty collection in there," she teased, and I couldn't help but bark out a laugh.

"The only pair of panties I've ever saved is yours from our date, Isabella," I crooned, my eyes flickering to the closet, where I knew for a fact her underwear was currently residing in the pocket of my suit jacket that I'd worn that night.

"Mmm, that was a good night," she purred.

"Indeed, Miss Swan," I chuckled darkly. "One I intend on repeating as soon as my ass gets home – only this time, I won't have to clean the car so soon."

"I look forward to it, Sarge," she countered with a giggle. "Go call Irina, you silly ass. Then you can call me back and tell me all the naughty things you intend to do to me in my own house, Masen."

Laughing, my head fell back to the wall. "Yes, ma'am. Trust me, that list is long, twisted, and rather detailed."

"Excellent," she laughed shamelessly.

We were quiet for just a moment, before I finally said, "Thanks, love."

"Are you okay, Edward?"

"I will be... When I get home, I'll be just perfect," I sighed, smiling at the mere thought of it.

"Good," she chirped. "Now...go thank her. You need to. And call me back. I need to take this twisted and detailed list down for future reference."

I laughed, falling in love with her just a little more and missing her with all that I had. "Okay... Love you."

"Love you, too."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Tanya may be an idiot, but her parents are pretty cool people. Irina thought ahead for Edward, even when he didn't want to deal with any of it. Pictures of Edward's stuff will be on my blog, Jenny's site, and a few on FB. :) And yes, that includes Sarge's beautiful piano.**

**I'm so glad you guys are liking the pace we've set. We didn't want the time between Florida and October to drag, but we didn't want to skip over moments like this, either. Moving Sarge in, entrusting Bella with his life...these were important steps.**

**Thanks always to all that review, rec, and play with us over on FB. We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	129. Chapter 129: Bella

**A/N #1: In case you missed them, links pictures of Edward's stuff from Chicago are on our profile. :) Thank you guys for all the support! We're glad you liked the last the two chapters. Like I said yesterday, I really loved them.**

**Ok, so time is moving right along. We're almost at the start of school, so not long now! :)**

**~oOo~**

**Friday... August 20, 2010 at 2:33 P.M.**

I waved to Mrs. Jackson when I climbed out of the car, smiling at the sweet little grandmother shuffling slowly across her lawn.

"Hello, Miss Mary," I told her, accepting her hug.

When she pulled back, her bony hands, still strong even at eighty-three, cupped my face. "Isabella!" she said warmly. "How are you, dear? You look wonderful. How's that man of yours?"

"I'm great." I couldn't help the smile that I was sure stretched from ear to ear. "Edward is doing well. He said to give you one of these the next time I saw you..." I leaned down and brushed her cheek with a kiss.

Miss Mary looked flustered for a moment, her eyes twinkling. "Well, that dear boy. Tell him I expect a better one than that when he comes home," she teased, winking at me. "Not too long now, is it?"

Shaking my head, I sighed. "Just over a month now. Six weeks. Still too long."

"Bah," she said firmly. "That's nothing, child. You can do it. You're a strong one, Isabella Swan. Now, I came over for a reason. Your young man sent you a package, and since you were out, the delivery boy left it with me. I signed for it and said I would get it to you when you arrived home. It's a bit heavy for me, or I'd have brought it over."

"Thank you very much, Miss Mary." I smiled and gestured to my car. "I've got groceries in the back seat. Let me unload them, and then I'll come over and get it, all right?"

"That will be fine, Isabella. You come over when you're ready." She smiled and patted my cheek before turning and making the trip back to her house, leaving me alone by my car.

~oooOOOooo~

Twenty minutes later, I was back on my couch with the rather hefty box from Edward on the floor between my feet. The first thing I pulled out was an envelope with my name in Edward's handwriting. Opening it, I saw a short note.

_My sweet Bella,_

_Since I can't be there in person, I wanted to send you some things that will hopefully help you start out your new school year right. I emailed Alice and asked what kind of things would be most helpful, and she sent me a list of some of the supplies you normally buy for your classroom. I know you've already bought some, but she assured me that you would need more, so hopefully what I got will help later in the year if nothing else._

_I also included a few other things I thought would be cute or helpful...and a few things I just couldn't resist._

_Yours always,_

_Edward_

My eyes welled with tears before I'd even looked at the contents of the box. Edward was the sweetest man I'd ever met.

Setting the letter down on the table beside the couch, I turned my attention back to the box in front of me. The first thing I noticed was the stack of notebook paper and boxes upon boxes of pencils, pens, colored pencils, and erasers. From what I could tell, there was enough there to stock my classroom for the rest of the school year, even if I had more than a couple of kids who came to school without them due to financial issues at home.

Also inside the box were two smaller boxes – one about the size of a shoe box and wrapped in the funny papers and a thinner but wider one underneath it. I pulled out both boxes, and on the funny papers one, written in Edward's script with a black marker, were the words, "Open last!" Raising an eyebrow, I set it aside and grabbed the other box.

I had to chuckle when I saw that it was a plaque with the word "teacher" in all capital red, yellow, and blue letters. From the picture on the front, six brightly colored wood cutouts resembling pencils hung down from the plaque to be used as school passes. I carefully opened the lid and pulled out passes for the hall, office, boys, girls, nurse, and library. Just as I'd guessed, each had a small hole on the end to hang on the six hooks on the plaque. This would be perfect to put up on the wall beside my desk.

I closed the box and set it aside, reaching into the big box to get the only other thing inside. When I pulled out the tote, I realized I'd seen one like it while in Tampa and had told Edward. It was large enough to fit my laptop plus all the papers and stuff I'd have to carry to and from school, a few zippered pockets for smaller things, and a place for a water bottle on the side. He had gotten it monogrammed with my initials on the front, too.

It was all too much, and I hadn't even opened the last box yet. I swiped at the tear that had leaked from my eye and then set the tote beside me, finally picking up the comics-covered box.

When I tore open the wrapping, I actually laughed out loud, my tears gone. Tied with a big red ribbon were – I took a quick count – ten pairs of boy short panties. From the words on the back of the top of one, I had a feeling I was going to enjoy them all.

Untying the ribbon, I started looking through them, starting with the four pink pairs on top, which read: Peace, Love, Third Grade; Warning, I am silently correcting your grammar; Hot For Teacher; and an adorable spiderweb with Some Teacher, just like "Some Pig" in _Charlotte's Web_.

There were also four white pairs with red trim: I teach for a living... What's your superpower?; "Naughty teacher" with an apple beside it; three students with a teacher covering her ears and saying "You're not the boss of me!"; and Don't make me use my teacher voice.

At the bottom of the stack were two red pairs: You can't scare me... I'm a teacher; and Danger: Teacher in a bad mood.

Giggling, I set them all down and pulled my cell phone from my pocket, dialing Edward's number.

He answered just after the second ring. "Hey, sweetheart. How's your last free Friday going?"

I smiled. "Quiet, but good. Better once I got home to find this huge box with Mrs. Jackson next door."

Edward chuckled. "Did you give her a kiss for me?"

"Yes," I huffed playfully. "The woman is old enough to be your grandmother, and she said she expects a better one when you get home."

The chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh at that. I could just picture his green eyes alight with amusement, his grin stretching across his face.

"I'll be sure to do that," he teased. "So you got the box? Why did sweet Miss Mary have it?"

I explained about having been gone to the grocery store when the UPS truck stopped by. "So once I got the groceries put away, I went back to her house to get it." I sighed, looking down at all the stuff he'd sent. "Edward, panties aside, this was just way too much..."

"Is it stuff you can use?"

"Of course! But the bag was expen—"

"Isabella, will you use it?" he interrupted to ask.

Sighing softly, I finally said in a small voice, "Every day."

"Then it was worth every penny." Then he chuckled darkly. "If you'd like, you can pay me back by modeling some of those new clothes you got in the box."

I laughed. "You've got a deal, Sarge."

"Good," he purred, the word sending shivers from my ear to my core. "Now, talk to me, love. Are you ready for school to start on Monday?"

I kicked my shoes off and lay back on the couch, settling in to chat. "I think I am, yeah. Let me tell you about the posters and stuff I put up today..."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: How'd you like Edward's package for Bella? We had fun thinking of everything – and you can find pictures of a lot of the stuff on my site, Deb's blog, and a few on FB. So check our profile for links! :)**

**Now, let's see how far, if any, we jump from here and what's going to happen next, shall we? Leave some love, and then hit up Sarge's chapter. *mwah* – Jenny**


	130. Chapter 130: Edward

**A/N #1: You gotta love Sarge with the box full of school supplies! And to have been a fly on the wall when he shopped for panties! LMAO XD Let's check in with the boys and see how Bella's first day went. Psst! It's almost the end of August...**

**~oOo~**

**Tampa... Monday, August 23, 2010 at 11:23 A.M.**

"I'm so fucking tired of this cafeteria bullshit," Emmett grumbled as we walked into the food court area.

"Well, _maybe_ if you hadn't eaten most of the food Bella and the girls had put away for us in like the first three weeks, you wouldn't be bitchin'," Jasper countered, shrugging a shoulder and giving him a look that basically told him to not to even try to deny it.

"I didn't," he lied through his damn teeth.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Em, man... You ate both tuna casseroles in one day. Don't fucking try it..."

Emmett grinned shamelessly. "Yeah, well, Bells knows I can't resist those..."

Rolling my eyes and smirking at him, I pulled my phone out when it chirped with a text alert. "Speaking of," I muttered, opening her message.

_B: Oh, Sarge, the flowers are beautiful! Thank you! :) Love you! Consider yourself smooched to pieces. Xoxoxo_

Before I placed my lunch order, I sent her a quick reply.

_E: Love you, too. I'm glad you like them, sweet girl. I'm pretty damn sure they aren't as beautiful as you are, but I'm hoping that they bring you a good first day back to school. Call me tonight when you get home, Miss Swan. I want to hear everything! :)_

_B: You got it, handsome. :)_

~oooOOOooo~

"Masen!" Lieutenant Morris called from across the field. "You and Corporals Whitlock and McCarty get over here."

"Aw, hell. What'd we do this time?" Jasper groaned.

"No idea," I said, shrugging as we double-timed it by some of the newer recruits that were working the obstacle course.

Morris waved away our salutes as soon as we arrived in front of him. "Not one of you three are re-upping? Not _one_?"

"No, sir," we answered him.

"Well, shit," he hissed, rubbing his face and giving the course a disdainful look. "That means I have to promote someone."

"May I make a few suggestions, sir?" I offered. He didn't really know my squad, and I'd been expecting this for a few weeks now.

"Go on," he said slowly, wearing a smirk.

"Wells, sir. He's just recently re-upped, his family is now living on base, and that temporary cast should be off soon. He's got the respect of the men, sir," I explained, gesturing to where Jeff Wells was finishing up for the day. He limped alongside the course wearing a cast that he could actually walk on.

"Ramirez, too," Emmett added, jerking his chin, and I nodded in agreement.

"Ramirez is tough but fair, sir," Jasper piped in. "But Wells has seen shit up close and personal. He'll make a good teacher."

"Both men are set for another four years, sir," I told Morris. "You can trust them both."

Morris cracked a small smile. "I'll consider it. Thank you, Masen. What's next for you three?"

"Home, sir," we all answered, wearing what I was sure were matching grins.

"Where's home?" he snorted, shaking his head at us.

"Seattle, sir."

"Got it," he laughed, waving us away. "Go. End this shit for the day. I've got a ballet recital I can't miss."

I called a halt to the training, sending the men on their way for the day. After a short debate, the guys decided on Chinese for dinner. I offered to call it in on my way home so it would be delivered soon after we all got to the house. They were going to stop by the store to grab a few things we were running low on – laundry detergent, beer, soda, and bottled water, not to mention paper plates. Those assholes were killing my ass with the always-full sink of fucking dirty dishes.

I was just throwing away my garbage as I tossed the last half of an eggroll in my mouth when my phone finally rang.

"Hey, bootiful," I mumbled with a full mouth.

"Are you eating?" Bella giggled.

"I was," I said after finally swallowing. "I'm done now."

"Dare I ask what was for dinner?" she sighed, but I could hear the smile in her voice nonetheless.

"Chinese," I said proudly. Bella hated when we did the fast food thing every damn day. She even went as far as sending Jasper some of her easiest recipes, but we didn't always cook at home now that her frozen stash had dwindled away.

"Good boy," she purred.

"I don't know about that, Miss Swan," I sighed dramatically, closing my bedroom door. "Three eggrolls and a pint of lo mein isn't exactly saintly, but I was a starving man. Besides, the things I've been thinking about you today wouldn't be considered particularly..._good_."

"Oh, Sarge, I'm sure it was plenty...good," she giggled back.

Grinning, I shook my head. "How was the first day back, love?"

"Hard, tiring, but I've got great kids this year. I've got a group of boys that remind me of you, Jazz, and Em...almost to a tee. It's rather frightening, actually," she laughed. "They're thick as thieves. A loud, funny one, a quiet, clever one, and then the really cute, shy one."

I laughed, settling back against the headboard of the bed. "Any stolen kisses or pulled pigtails on the first day?"

"Yes, of course. Poor Jeremy just about had heart failure. He's the sweet, shy one," she snickered. "Little Sophie gave him no choice in the matter. She just ran up to him at recess, planted a big sloppy kiss on on his cheek, and ran off."

I groaned out a laugh. "Oh, poor kid."

"His buddies, Ryan and Paul, spent the rest of recess guarding him." Bella huffed a laugh but went on to tell me about a few of her other new students, including a shy little girl that was new to the area. She didn't know anyone from the previous year, so Bella had to stop the kids from picking on her; she understood what it was like to hate being the center of attention.

"We have a few new teachers this year because one had a baby – a little girl – and another retired. Mike's all over them like white on rice. It's rather disturbing," she huffed.

"And just how is he with you?" I asked, unable to stop myself or the slight growl that came through my tone.

"Relax, Sarge. He was a perfect gentleman. Or as close to one as he can be." She murmured the last sentence. "He started with his same old crap until he saw my ring."

"The ring I gave you..."

"Yep," she chirped. "That one. And once he saw my flowers with your card, he muttered something about getting his ass kicked and left me alone." She laughed again. "Thank you again for those, by the way."

"You're very welcome, sweet girl," I said with a grin, trying to imagine what this douchebag, Mike, looked like. He sounded like a pussy, which Emmett had called him more than once, but he could schmooze the girls around him, so he couldn't be all that repulsive. The fact that he was fucking clueless about those same women made me chuckle.

"You might want to tell him that Emmett's still pissed," I said, shrugging one shoulder that I knew she couldn't see. "He hasn't quite forgiven him for the whole cheating on you thing. Big brother issues and all. I'm saving my opinion for when I meet him, which should prove all sorts of entertaining."

"Mike is a sexual harassment case waiting to happen," Bella stated with a touch of laughter to her voice. "In fact, I'm pretty sure the new teacher, Angela, is just ballsy enough to put him in his place – and I think she's engaged – but Jessica fell for it instantly. Poor, hopeless girl.

"All in all, it was a good first day," she concluded. "How was yours?"

"I had to pick my replacement... Well, mine, and the guys' replacements," I told her, pulling at a loose string on my fatigues. They'd seen better days, but I didn't want to replace them, not when I was out of this place in like six weeks. "We also are getting reports back that our training is really working. Some of our first classes are doing really well overseas."

"Good, babe. That's really good," she gushed. "God, I miss you," she suddenly groaned, sighing heavily.

"I miss you, too, sweetheart," I countered, trying to sound soothing, but I knew I sounded just as frustrated. Six weeks was so close, yet so far. Only the month of September and a week left in August stood in our way. Which reminded me... "Bella, what do you want for your birthday?" I asked, bracing myself for her reaction.

"Edward, please don't go crazy," she begged. "Please? I just want you wearing a big bow. Okay?" she snarked.

Laughing, my head fell back to the wall. "I'll see what I can do," I chuckled. "But what do you want? Maybe something you can't always have or something you need but never get?"

"I can't think of a thing... Well, other than you and that bow. That seems to have taken over in my imagination," she giggled. "Red...definitely, red. Only wrapped around your..."

"Don't make me call Charlie," I interrupted her with a warning because I knew where that was going. "I'll set up some elaborate thing..."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I would, and you know it. Just...think about it, love," I chuckled. "I've got Jasper on my side. Don't think I don't. If he set up my fan-fucking-tastic birthday surprise, just imagine what I can get him to do for you."

She harrumphed stubbornly, saying, "You know what, Masen? Do your worst. I have no idea what I want, and I'm not fighting you...all of you – Alice and Rose have already started prying. Just...don't listen to them. I heard rumors of male strippers...though, I'm not sure whether they were kidding or not."

I laughed, just because I couldn't help it. "Absolutely fucking not! No greased up lap dances for you, Isabella."

"Are you offering?" she laughed. "Because I'll save every dollar bill I have until October just to tuck them on you."

I slapped a hand to my forehead. "I'm making no promises."

"Bring the bow," she giggled.

"Go eat dinner, sweet girl. I see I'm on my own for your birthday. Remember that I gave you ample opportunity to help a guy out, but _no_... You wanted to be silly. Your window has officially closed," I growled dramatically.

Bella laughed again, happy, sweet, and full of life, and I couldn't love her more if I tried. "I'm sure I'll live, Edward. I'll call you later."

Grinning, I shook my head. "Good. I wonder if I could hire a clown to go to the school..."

"Edward, don't you dare..." she squeaked, and I could tell she was going to say more, but I ended the call on purpose, just to drive her crazy, getting up to go talk to Jasper.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I'm so glad you guys liked Irina. More than once the question was posed...how could such good parents end up with a (insert expletive here) daughter? Easy. Tanya is spoiled. It's just plain and simple. An only daughter, given everything...which in turn causes her to expect her way all the damn time.**

**All of the pics of the things that Sarge sent Bella are on the usual places. You guys should know where to go by now, but you can always check our profile for links.**

**Tomorrow is an important two chaps, because I think you'll be extremely happy. Time is still moving forward, too. So with that being said, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	131. Chapter 131: Bella

**A/N #1: Over 10,000+ reviews? You guys seriously made me cry today. After a long morning at the dentist, I came home to that. It was the best thing ever. We love each and every word – even the rude or utterly stupid ones ;) – and couldn't be more grateful for your support. We're glad you have embraced the story and our characters like you have. So thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, September 04, 2010 at 3:48 P.M.**

"Picture time!" Alice squealed, grinning.

She and Rose were at my house for the day. We'd decided on a day of girl time, the first chance we'd really had to just chill since school started. I was already tired because we'd spent the morning washing our cars, and then this afternoon, we'd gone to the spa and the mall to do some shopping, finally coming back here to relax before ordering pizza for dinner and watching some movies we'd picked out.

I was also tired because it had been late before I'd gotten to sleep on Friday, but I'd gotten a ton of stuff done around the house. The rest of my papers and stuff were organized, and the books were all put up on the new bookshelf in the guest room turned music-slash-reading room. I'd had the pictures that Edward had sent from when we'd gotten them taken together in Florida for over a month, but I hadn't hung them yet, so those were now on the walls throughout the house. My favorite was one of the two of us caught unaware – his arm around my waist, hand on my stomach, and my fingers curled around his, both looking down and laughing at something silly and naughty he'd just whispered in my ear. I had hung that one in the bedroom, where I could see it every morning when I woke and every night before I slept.

Shaking my head slightly to bring my attention back to Alice, I grinned. "Rose, you have your camera, right?"

She nodded. "In my bag. You still want to do all the shots you talked about?"

"Yup," I answered, popping the "p." Standing up, I stretched and said, "Let me go change. We'll do the ones in the red dress first and go from there."

I hurried into the bedroom, pulling off my jeans, T-shirt, and bra. The dress was strapless, so I didn't wear it often, but Edward hadn't seen it yet, so I wanted to wear it for these.

Alice knocked and poked her head in. "Ready? I'll touch up your make-up and fluff your hair."

Following her into the bathroom, I said, "I don't think it needs much, but have at it." They had done my hair at the spa, and shopping hadn't really hurt it at all. It just needed to be combed through and smoothed out.

Once I was ready, I grabbed the matching red stilettos from the shoebox in my closet – another thing I didn't wear often for fear of breaking my neck. They were the exact shade as the dress, and they had a four-inch heel and a ribbon that wrapped around my ankle, tying in a pretty bow in front. I wouldn't put them on until I was already in position.

Alice and I headed to the other room, where Rose was waiting with her camera. She had already put the step stool up just beside the piano, so I handed Alice the shoes and climbed up barefoot, settling myself on the closed lid. Alice slid the shoes on my feet, tying the bows perfectly, and then I carefully drew my knees up and set my feet on the piano. No matter how sexy these pictures turned out, I would never forgive myself if I scratched Edward's piano.

Rose took several photos of me in various poses. In one, my legs were crossed slightly, arms wrapped around them, and my head was bent to rest on my knee as I looked off to the side at the camera. In another, I was lying down on my side, knees bent and kind of curled in on myself, one hand resting on the piano near my head.

My favorite of those was when I sat up near the front of the piano; one foot was resting carefully on the keys, knee bent with my elbow resting on it, and the other was positioned so my legs were parted slightly. Turning slightly sideways so you couldn't see anything, I rested back on my hand. The entire position, despite holding myself steady in order to not scratch the piano, made me feel sexy – chest out, legs open, but not quite, and I was pretty sure Rose caught my daydreamy expression trying to imagine Edward sitting right on that piano bench between my legs.

"Okay," Rose said with a grin. "Lose the dress and shoes and put on that blue lingerie set you bought this morning."

I nodded, reaching down to undo the ribbons around my ankles and letting the shoes drop to the floor. Once Alice had moved the step stool back, I carefully climbed down, picked up the shoes, and hurried back to the bedroom. Tossing the dress and shoes onto the bed, I grabbed the Victoria's Secret sack and pulled out the blue scraps of silk. The other pictures could be shown to Emmett and Jasper if he wanted, but the ones I would be taking next were for his eyes – and my girls, obviously – only.

Walking confidently back into other room wearing the sexy lace bra and matching cheeky panties – because even in these, I wasn't going to wear dental floss – I climbed barefoot back up onto the piano. Rose took shots of me on my stomach, my knees bent and feet in the air, as well as of me on my knees, sitting on my calves, getting a few other pictures as she and Alice directed me on how to move and when to hold a position.

Finally, it was time for the last few shots. As I pulled off my lingerie, Alice went to get the white satin sheet from my bedroom. When she came back in and handed it to me, I wrapped it around me and lay on my back across the front, one arm holding the sheet gathered between my breasts, the other down and resting my hand lightly on the keys of the piano. After a few similar shots to the lingerie ones, I sat up, drawing my knees up to my chest, and let Alice and Rose drape the sheet strategically to just barely cover everything. I was going for teasing and seduction, rather than pornography – although Rose tried to tell me that Edward certainly wouldn't mind.

"Bells, you know he'd love to see one of you without the sheet. How about soft-core, rather than hard-core?" she offered convincingly.

At my hesitation, Alice grinned. "He really would love it, Bella. You know that..."

With a groaning sigh, I unfurled the sheet and handed it over, holding up my hands. "Fine, I'm all yours," I laughed.

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, Sept 05, 2010 at 1:13 A.M.  
Date Received: Sun, Sept 05, 2010 at 4:13 A.M.  
Subject: Consider this a late birthday present. ;)

Edward,

As you can see, we were busy today! *laugh* Rose did a fantastic job of making me look sexy, didn't she? I almost didn't recognize myself in a few of them. Obviously, you can tell which ones are for your eyes only...The others you can share with the boys if you want to. If not, that's fine, too.

We had a great day. You already heard on the phone call earlier about shopping and the spa. After pictures, we ordered in pizza and popped in _Hot Tub Time Machine_, which was hysterical. We ended up watching three more movies: _The Bounty Hunter_, with Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler, which was fun and pretty funny; _Date Night_, with Tina Fey and Steve Carrell, which was damn funny; and my favorite, _The Back-Up Plan_, with Jennifer Lopez and sexy ex-vampire Alex O'Laughlin.

I'm so stuffed because we made four different batches of popcorn. *laugh* We started off with just plain butter and salt, but then with the second movie, we wanted some parmesan cheese and a whole bunch of dried herbs and cayenne pepper. That's when our sweet tooth kicked in for all of us. We had a bowl of buttered cinnamon and sugar, as well as a bowl of plain drizzled with white and dark chocolate. So good, but so full! Now I'm lying in bed, on my side, because I tried putting my laptop up on my stomach, but that was not comfortable! LOL

I'm so tired, my eyes keep closing, but I just had to email you. Watching those romantic comedies was fun, but all they did was serve to make me miss you. I know we only have four weeks left, but that seems like forever. It's so much harder now than it was before I came to Florida. Not that I would change that, of course, but now I know what I'm missing... If I could snap my fingers and have you appear, I would. I wake up every morning, my hand reaching out to find you on the other side of the bed, and every morning, I'm disappointed. So yes, I'm anxious for October second, because I'll be in your arms, and you'll be there every morning when I wake up. *sigh*

I'd better get some sleep. Just going to be a quiet day tomorrow, I think, so will probably try to sleep in. We'll see.

I love you, Sarge.

Forever,  
Bella

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Whew, pictures! These are definitely ones you guys wanted so badly. LOL Believe me, we wanted them, too. We were so excited to finally get to this point. *grin* So note the timestamps. We're into September. For those that don't remember, Bella's birthday is September 13, so we're definitely getting close to that. I won't tell you what she's getting from Edward, but I promise, it's epic...and you'll find out next chapter. ;)**

**Okay, so a note about the panties from yesterday... I found them all on CafePress. Some came in thong form, so I did some photoshopping to get them into the boy shorts-style. Trying to list links for all of them here or in our profile would be too long, so what I've done is make an html page and put it in with the pictures themselves. So you can check our profile for a link to my site. :)**

**As for pictures of today's photoshoot? Yeah, those are available everywhere, too. ;)**

**Now, leave some love, and then head over to Sarge so you know what the birthday plan is! *mwah* – Jenny**


	132. Chapter 132: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh, yeah...sexy pics at the piano. You knew that as soon as that gorgeous black instrument got in her house, Bella wouldn't be able to resist. LOL This is an awesome chapter. I'll see you at the bottom...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Sun, Sept 05, 2010 at 6:23 A.M.  
Date Received: Sun, Sept 05, 2010 at 3:23 A.M.  
Subject: I don't share, Miss Swan.

You have to be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. As much as I'm sure Rose deserves some credit, I'm not sure she deserves all the credit. You are sexy, Isabella – she merely took the photographic proof. I don't know what I did to earn those pictures, but by God, I'll be sure to earn them when I get my hands on you again. And I'll be sure to continue to earn them for the rest of my life.

One day, my love... I'm going to be the one to set you on top of that piano in order to taste every inch of skin you're teasing me with in these pictures. I want to see what sounds we make when I set your ass on the keys and step between those gorgeous legs of yours. I'm going to pull you into my lap and play for you because I know you love it. I haven't played much lately. I miss my muse, Bella.

By the sound of things, it seems you girls had a good time yesterday. That was an enormous amount of popcorn. LOL Your teeth must hate you today.

My sweet, beautiful girl... I miss you more than you can imagine. I'm right there with you. I know what I'm missing, what it's like to wake up in an empty bed, to wish I could blink and have you in my arms. Four weeks seems like an eternity. There are times that I'm not sure I'll survive it without you, but we have to try, baby. The end will be so worth it.

I know this is hard. Believe me. And it only gets worse with the worries of work and everyday bullshit. You're not alone, sweetheart. Just be glad you weren't one of my recruits the first day I had to finally give in and wash the sheets after you left. I was not exactly...pleasant. **raises eyebrow at you** You were gone, your sweet smell was gone, and I was not happy about any of it.

I want you to do me a favor, Isabella. I want you to take the day, sleep late, lounge around in my T-shirt. In fact, I don't even want you to get dressed once you're out of bed. There's nothing better than a day you never leave the house or get out of your pajamas, so do that for me. And then later tonight, I'll call you. Deal? Email back if you want, but don't you dare wash a dish, edit a book, or grade one single paper. Got me?

I love you more with each passing day.

Forever yours,  
Edward

P.S. One of these pictures contains a look I recognize, Isabella. Your eyes are dark, you're not exactly looking at the camera, and you're biting down on that sweet bottom lip. What were you thinking about, sexy girl? Hmm? And did it make you wet for me? Because the mere idea that you were wet and ready, sitting on top of my piano... Bella you have no idea what I want to do to you...

~oooOOOooo~

**Tampa... Sunday, September 05, 2010 at 7:03 A.M.**

I closed my laptop and set it on the bed, my head falling to my hands. My girl sounded lonely and tired and sad, despite the fun she'd had taking the pictures for me. She'd done so fucking much for me since the very beginning – listening, sending packages, teaching me how to laugh again, simply loving me without question. It was time I did something in return, dammit.

Tugging on my sneakers, I walked down the hall to the kitchen and poured myself a cup of coffee. I needed to run, to think, but I also knew I couldn't pull off what I wanted to do for Bella alone. At one point in my life, I might've tried to struggle through things alone, but I found I didn't have to anymore. Plus, Jazz would've kicked my ass for not asking.

Walking back down the hall, I bypassed Emmett's room, trying to figure out if his snores sounded like sawing wood or growling bears. Maybe a little of both. I knocked on Jasper's door, knowing he was probably up and just reading.

"Yeah," he said, and I cracked the door. "What's up, Sarge?"

"I need your help. Come for a run with me," I told him, jerking my thumb toward the front door.

He smirked, nodded, and chuckled once. "Got it."

Once we'd stretched, run around Bayshore, and arrived at Ballast Point Park, I'd pretty much figured out what I wanted to do; I just needed help getting it done. I explained everything to Jasper, who listened intently while rubbing his chin.

"Will you be able to get leave on Friday?" he asked, sitting down on the bench at the end of the pier.

"I've never taken a leave. Ever. I'm asking for one single day before my release. I can't imagine I'll be denied," I told him, shrugging a shoulder. "My record proves itself."

"True," he mused. Then he looked up at me. "Why a hotel? Why not Bella's house?"

I was shaking my head no before he even finished the question. "I'm not setting foot in that house until I'm no longer a soldier in the Army. I don't want to see it until I'm actually going...home."

He nodded like he understood, which he probably did.

"I'm doing this for her, to give her what she wants for her birthday, not to satisfy any curiosities. She does everything for me...for us," I urged him, not that he was arguing, but I felt the need to make sure he knew just how important this was.

"We'll need Emmett, believe it or not," he chuckled, looking up at me and pulling out his phone as he stood up. "We just can't let him talk to Bella. Asshole can't keep a secret. It's why we didn't tell him about Bella coming here for you."

Laughing, I nodded. "Okay, so what's first?"

Grinning, he dialed his phone, putting it on speakerphone. "First? We call in reinforcements."

"Jazzy, it's early," Alice grumbled. "I love you, but...damn..."

"Sorry, darlin', but Sarge and I need your help," he told her, and we both smiled when she squeaked.

"You're so coming here for her birthday, aren't you, Edward?" she practically yelled.

"Yes, shorty," I chuckled, shaking my head at how she instantly knew. "Can you help us?"

"Oh ho! Yes, I can. Let me get a pen and notebook," she giggled, and we could both hear her rummaging around on the other end. "Oh, Edward...this will mean everything to her."

"I hope so," I sighed, leaning against the pier railing.

"Okay, boys," she sighed happily. "What's the plan?"

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: **plugs ears** Commence squees... XD**

**Yeah, see...for so, so long you guys asked, begged, gotten mad, and pouted about Sarge getting leave. I just couldn't tell you about THIS. ;) It would've ruined Bella's birthday surprise. LOL Remember those stages I talk about all the time... Yup, this would be one of them.**

**You guys rock! Seriously. Just when I think you'll hate something, you embrace it. So thank you so, so much. I can't believe that we broke 10,000 reviews on FFN. Just...WOW! I bow down to all of you. Thank you.**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow. HUGE Mooches, Deb. :)**


	133. Chapter 133: Bella

**A/N #1: I honestly have to laugh at the response we get every time we post. Yes, we get the occasional rant or bad review (usually it's...silly stuff. *shrug*), but for every one of those we receive, we get a hundred plus great ones. You guys amaze me and make every day brighter. No time jump this time, but lots of emails and some Skype time. :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Tues, Sept 07, 2010 at 11:42 A.M.  
Date Received: Tues, Sept 07, 2010 at 2:42 P.M.  
Subject: Quiet lunch alone

Hey, babe.

I'm sitting here at my desk, eating the chicken salad with crackers and cheese I brought for my lunch. I chose to eat alone today because there's no one I want to eat with in the teacher's lounge, and it's not my day to sit in the cafeteria with the kids. Angela (remember? she's one of the new teachers this year...) is so sweet and friendly, and she has the same lunch period as I do, but she's out running an errand for wedding prep. Jessica, the other new teacher, invited me to sit with her, but Mike was going to be there, and I just did _not_ feel like dealing with him. All seeing him does is make me miss you even more. Don't worry...it isn't anything he did or said. But every time I see his cocky grin or hear his smarmy voice hitting on Jessica, it makes me realize how much better you are than he is...and that just leads me to thinking about and missing you.

I'd better go. I have a few things I need to get ready for my class before they come back from lunch, so I should eat while I can.

Loving you always,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, Sept 08, 2010 at 10:14 A.M.  
Date Received: Wed, Sept 08, 2010 at 1:14 P.M.  
Subject: Thank you for the phone call! :)

Edward,

I'm so glad you called last night. I was feeling really blue. Between helping Sue plan her wedding to my dad, watching a sad movie, and editing a romance novel where the hero and heroine were together and happy, I desperately needed to hear your voice. I don't know why I'm missing you as much as I am. Maybe it's because I know we have less than a month until you're here with me, so I'm just that anxious. Maybe it's because I'm just extra hormonal right now. I don't know. But talking to you helped a lot.

I loved hearing about Jeff Wells and his reaction to the promotion. I'm so glad it will be helping out his family, especially after finding out his wife is pregnant! How exciting for them, although I can't even imagine having four kids under the age of five...

Angela invited me and the girls over for dinner tomorrow night to meet Ben, her fiance. He's some sort of tech guy. I think he actually works for Big Fish Games, which is kind of cool. I play their games on the computer all the time. Anyway, I told her I would bring a dessert to go with her dinner if she'd like, and since she loved the cookies I made to welcome her to the school, she readily agreed. I made some chocolate chip cookies last night when I couldn't get to sleep, so I think I'll pick up a pint of ice cream and some chocolate sprinkles and nuts, and we can make our own ice cream sandwiches. Should be fun.

I'd better run. I love you!

Always,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen

Date Sent: Thurs, Sept 09, 2010 at 9:22 P.M.  
Date Received: Fri, Sept 10, 2010 at 12:22 A.M.  
Subject: Missing you...

Thank you for the text earlier, Sarge. I know you've been really busy getting this last batch of recruits ready and making sure Jeff and Manny are ready to take over for you guys. I miss your voice, though. LOL Yes, I know we just spoke Monday. Sue me. ;)

I'm attaching a picture of the dress Sue wants me to wear for her wedding. It's just something pretty she found online, so the girls and I went shopping right after school to try it on (only $100 at Macy's, so it's not too bad a price), and it fit like a glove. Alice took a picture with her phone when I wasn't looking and then sent it to me. I went ahead and bought it, and if it doesn't work on Leah, Sue's daughter, I can return it. I think it should, though. She's got a body that will work with anything. Lucky girl...

I think the girls are up to something for my birthday. They've been asking me for a couple of weeks what I wanted, but it's like it suddenly has just become another day for them. Which is great, don't get me wrong! LOL It just feels weird! I asked them earlier if they wanted to plan to go out this weekend to the club, since we haven't been in a while, and they kind of blew me off. *shrug* Maybe my dad is coming up. Sue mentioned wanting to come to Seattle to look at wedding cakes since the only good bakery in Forks is going to be all but dead in October because the owner & baker is due to have a baby sometime early that month. Unfortunately, my cake decorating skills aren't up to snuff for a wedding. It would be good to see them, but I'd rather it be you! A girl can dream, right?

*sigh* I guess I'll let you go. I'm going to make myself some hot chocolate and read, I think. I've already graded papers, and I don't want to watch a movie. It's also too early to go to bed, so I think I'll start the new book I picked up at the library on my way home.

I love you so much, Edward. I miss you more and more every day, especially when we don't get to talk each night. :( I know it isn't too much longer until we see each other. I can handle 3 weeks. I just have to convince myself of that fact! :)

Love,

Bella

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Thursday, September 09, 2010 at 9:53 P.M.**

I was settled back on the couch with my book and hot chocolate after sending Edward's email when my computer dinged with an incoming video chat request. I quickly sat up, opening the lid to the laptop and pulling it onto my lap, smiling when I saw the request from Edward. Clicking _Accept,_ I settled back against the cushion, sighing when he came into view.

"Edward Masen," I chided, unable to keep the grin from my face, even while scolding him. "What in the world are you doing up? It's one in the morning!"

Edward looked sheepish, running his hand through his short hair. "I couldn't get to sleep, so I got your email when I logged in. I figured I'd email you a short note before going for a run or something, but I realized I wanted to hear your voice and see your sweet smile. I miss you, pretty girl," he finished with a sigh.

Frowning, I nodded. "I miss you, too, babe. I'm sorry you can't sleep."

He shrugged. "It's okay. Just was a long day, and I'm kind of wound up. This is better anyway." He smiled again, lighting up the screen. "The dress is beautiful, Bella. Keep it even if you have to find something else for the wedding. I'll pay for it if I need to, but that dark blue looks so good against that creamy skin of yours. I want you to wear it when we go out sometime. Please? For me?"

I laughed, smirking. "All right," I promised. "And you don't need to pay for it, Sarge. But I appreciate the offer."

Nodding, he sighed. "It's good to see you, love. It's been too long since we talked on here."

Sipping my hot chocolate, I hummed my agreement.

"So tell me all about your dinner with Angela and Ben. Did you have fun?"

I smiled as he settled down farther into his bed, propping himself up on an elbow on his side to listen.

Thirty minutes later, Edward was trying desperately to hide his yawns, but he wasn't fooling me.

"That's enough," I laughed, shaking my head. "Go to bed, Masen. We can talk again on here this weekend, but earlier, when it's not after midnight for you, okay?"

He looked like he wanted to argue, but instead, he bit down on his lower lip for a minute and then nodded. "Promise to wear something sexy for me next time I see you?"

Rolling my eyes, I sighed playfully. "I suppose," I teased. "You can take your pick of colors, even. How's that sound?"

Edward grinned lecherously. "I pick nude," he said with an eyebrow wiggle before it was interrupted with a big yawn.

I laughed out loud at that. "Go to bed, Sarge, before you fall asleep on the computer."

He grumped but nodded. "Love you, beautiful girl."

My heart melted at his sincere tone and sweet words. "I love you, too, babe. Good night..."

"Good night, Bella." He smiled once more and then reached up toward the screen.

The call ended, taking half my heart with it.

I sighed, closed the laptop, and picked up my mug and book. I was done. My bed was calling, and having nothing to do but mope, I decided it was time to answer.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Aww, she's missing him... Silly girl doesn't know what's just around the corner, does she?**

**I know you guys are anxious to see what's next. Leave some love if you have time, but if you want to skip over to Sarge, I totally get it. ;) *hugs* – Jenny**


	134. Chapter 134: Edward

**A/N #1: I absolutely LOVED writing this chapter. I hope you have as much fun with it as I did. There were way too many things that I wanted to fit in, but I did the best that I could. Guess who just landed at Sea-Tac...**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, September 10, 2010 at 2:03 P.M.**

"No, no, I'm good," I sighed, glancing over at the GPS. "Tell Rose thank you for checking into the hotel for me and dropping off Bella's things. I'm on my way to the school now."

"Sure thing, Sarge," Emmett chuckled. "If you see my girl, give her a hug and kiss for me, will ya? And tell Bells happy birthday."

Grinning, I said, "No problem. And I will."

I tossed my phone into the driver's seat of the rental car, giving my surroundings a look. In less than a month, it would be my new home, something that sort of hit me the second I'd stepped foot in Sea-Tac Airport. The next time I landed here, I would be permanently where I wanted to be. Home. Somehow, I'd muddled through picking up my rental, checking out the hotel, and programming the school's address into the GPS without jumping up and down like a five-year-old.

Now I fucking understood how Bella must've felt when she flew into Tampa. Although, the sheer, blind faith it had to have taken to do that for the first time must've been staggering for her. I had it fucking easy.

Pulling into the parking lot of the school, I realized I was too early, so I picked up my phone.

_E: I'm here._

My tiny munchkin of a co-conspirator texted back instantly, even though she wasn't supposed to have her phone on her.

_A: YAY! Go to the office. Mrs. Cope is expecting a surprise visitor for Bella. I couldn't tell her who. Too many listening ears. Go! :D_

Snickering at just how excitable Alice could be, I stepped out of the car. Despite the brightness of the day, the cloudy, gray sky was a stark contrast to the sunny weather I'd had to get used to in Florida, not to mention the temperature difference. It was so much cooler here.

I walked into the school's office and stepped up to the reception desk.

"May I help you?" a young, blonde girl asked without looking up from her computer screen. Her fingers flew over the keys until she reached some sort of stopping point, and then she glanced up, freezing like a deer caught in a car's headlights.

"I'm here to see Isabella Swan," I said, smiling in spite of her staring. I didn't have to ask who the girl was because Bella had described her to a tee, but her nameplate on her desk told me I'd guessed right. This was Lauren, the girl that Bella had found Mike kissing in his classroom. "Please," I tacked onto the end.

"Oh, well..." she sputtered, color flushing her cheeks. "School's almost out. You'll have to wa—"

"Goodness!" another voice gushed from behind Lauren. "You must be Bella's surprise that Alice was trying to warn me about. And you absolutely have to be Edward!" A sweet, older woman rushed to the desk, holding out her hand to me. "Shelly Cope. It's nice to meet the man behind all the pretty flowers that show up in my office every now and then."

"Edward Masen," I chuckled, liking the woman instantly. "I've heard a lot about you."

She turned to Lauren. "Get Edward here a pass. We'll show him to Bella's classroom in just a minute." She glanced past me to the glass doors, a wicked expression coming over her face as her eyes zeroed in on two people. "In fact, I know just who will do it."

The door flew open, and a boy around eleven came in, followed by a man about my own age. The boy was wearing baggy jeans, an over-sized polo shirt, and an expression that screamed that he was in trouble for something.

"You're gonna sit in the principal's office until your mother comes to get you, Jason." The older guy had to have been his teacher, which caused me to freeze and my eyes to narrow.

I knew for a fact that the only male teachers were an older man by name of Shaw...and Mike Newton. I took in his appearance – over-gelled hair and a wink and a smarmy smile to Lauren – and finally, his eyes landed on me. The fear that crossed his features was pure and sweet...and not fucking enough.

"Mrs. Cope, would you please call Jason's mother to come pick him up? He'll be serving detention next week for disrupting my class...again," he said, aiming the last word at Jason, who rolled his eyes when he thought none of us were looking.

"Lauren will do it," Mrs. Cope said firmly with a nod of her head. "Mike, on your way back to your class, would you please show Edward here to Bella's classroom?"

Mike's eyes widened as he nodded slowly. "S-Sure. Th-This way," he sputtered, his eyes raking from my boots, up my desert camo cargo pants, to my fatigue shirt, only to finally land on my name and stripes. "M-Mike N-Newton," he said, holding out his hand.

I had to give him props for that show of bravery. When I took his hand, I squeezed just hard enough to grab his attention – though in all reality, I wanted to crush his fucking hand for ever touching my girl, and even more, I wanted to rip it off for hurting her. "Edward Masen...Bella's boyfriend."

"Michael!" Mrs. Cope snapped. "Edward's come a long way. I'm sure he'd like to see his girl. Go! And I'm sure you have a class to finish up for the weekend..."

Mike nodded, let go of my hand, and led us out of the office and down the hallway. He said nothing as we wound through the school, but it didn't go unnoticed that he kept flexing his hand.

He stopped outside classroom number fourteen, turning to me and pointing back over his shoulder. "This one," he murmured, but took a deep breath. "Are you guys here permanently now?"

I smiled, shaking my head at the fact that he was asking about all of us because he was scared to death of Emmett. "Not yet. Three weeks. Then we'll _all_ be home," I said, leaning on the word all.

"I haven't touched her!" he gushed suddenly, his brow breaking out into a sweat. "I've tried to apologize to Bella, but she won't have it."

"Make sure it stays that way, Mike," I sneered, stepping closer to him. My close proximity, my taller stature, and my size made him flinch. "Your loss...my gain." I pointed to Bella's door. "I got this."

He nodded fervently, walked across the hall, and disappeared through another classroom door.

I stepped up to the door, pausing when I could hear Bella's voice.

"Don't forget the bookworm contest this weekend. You guys don't have a lot of homework, so you can catch up. I want to see a few more circles added to our guy on the wall, okay?" she asked them.

Smiling, I knocked on the door.

"Ryan, would you please answer the door?" Bella's voice ordered.

The door swung open to reveal a gangly little kid covered in freckles, sporting short, spiky hair and bright blue eyes.

"Whoa," Ryan breathed, his mouth falling open. "Yo, Miss Swan. I think you're in trouble. The Army's here."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the kid, but even more at how fast Bella's head spun away from her classroom full of kids to see me. She walked to me and Ryan, placing a hand on his shoulder. Fuck me, she was a sight for sore eyes.

"Go sit down," she told him without tearing her gaze from me, which he did immediately. "Edward...what are you doing here?" she whispered, tears filling her eyes, but she was so very aware of about twenty nine-year-olds staring our way.

"Happy birthday, sweet girl," I whispered back, holding up my pinky finger that had a red bow tied around it.

Her hand covered her mouth, and she half-giggled and half-choked back a sob as she pulled the ribbon off. "This isn't exactly where I wanted the bow," she snickered, raising a deadly eyebrow at me.

"That's not the only bow I have," I countered, raising my own and grinning as I dragged my tongue along my bottom lip.

"I can't kiss you yet," she groaned, taking my hand.

"S'okay," I snickered. "I can wait."

She glanced over her shoulder at the clock. "I still have about thirty minutes. If you come in, they'll ask you a billion questions, just simply because you're in uniform."

I laughed, shrugging a shoulder, and gestured into her room. "I can handle it."

"Okay," she chuckled. "I warned you, Sarge." She stepped back, letting me walk in, and I was hyper-aware of several sets of young eyes on me. "Class, this is my friend, Sergeant Masen."

"Hello, Sergeant Masen," they chanted.

"Where's your gun?" Ryan piped up with the first of what turned out to be many, many questions.

"Back at the barracks," I answered. "I couldn't bring it on the plane."

"Do you fight terrorists?"

"I did. Now I train guys to do it."

"Did you drive a tank?"

"No."

"Did you fly fighter jets?"

"No, that's the Navy."

On and on they went, until it felt like a debriefing – or POW torture...I wasn't quite sure which. I was about to start answering with just my name, rank, and serial number, but I was saved by the bell at the same time a little girl asked two more questions in rapid succession.

"Are you Miss Swan's boyfriend? Are you gonna marry her?" a girl up front with dark, curly hair and big hazel eyes asked, blinking up at me as she stood up from her desk.

"Carrie!" Bella barked a laugh. "That's enough questions, guys. Have a nice weekend. See you Monday."

Carrie looked awfully disappointed that she didn't get her answer, so I knelt down in front of her. I knew from several conversations that this was Bella's shy, new-to-Seattle student, so I figured it had taken everything she had to even ask a question, much less two.

"Yes...and yes," I whispered, giving her a wink and smiling when a huge grin spread over her face.

"Good," she whispered back. "She's nice."

"She is," I agreed with a nod, standing back up as the classroom emptied.

"Bye, Miss Swan," she murmured softly, giving her a wave.

"Bye, Carrie. Have fun at the park this weekend," Bella told her as she packed up her things, watching as Carrie left us. Alone.

We both reacted instantly, and Bella was flying into my arms.

"I can't believe you came," she sobbed as I lifted her up off the floor, holding her as close as I could get her, my arms wrapped all the way around her. "I missed you so fucking much!"

I buried my face into the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent that I'd missed with all that I had. "I couldn't not come," I murmured, pressing my lips to her ear. "It's only the weekend, love, but..."

Bella's head snapped up, and she held my face in her hands. "I don't care," she gushed, and suddenly, her mouth was on mine.

God, how I'd missed kissing her. It was desperate and deep, salty and sweet. It was all I'd missed and more. Lips swept over each other, tongues claimed and teased and tasted, remembering, and heavy breaths pushed out against cheeks. By the time she slithered down my front to the floor, it was all I could do not to sprawl her across her desk.

Bella gripped the front of my shirt, gazing up at me. "How long do I get you?"

"Until Sunday afternoon," I whispered against her forehead. "I won't get to be here on your actual birthday, so I'm stealing you away."

"We're not going home?" she asked, and I was already shaking my head no.

"No, not this time, love," I told her soothingly when her face fell a bit, tucking her hair behind her ears. "If I step foot in that house, I'll never leave. I can't go AWOL this close to my term being up." I chuckled before sobering. "Bella, when I come home...I don't want to leave it. Let me spoil you this weekend. Please?"

"But I need—"

I placed my fingers on her lips. "You need nothing. I've arranged everything."

"That's what the girls were up to!" she laughed, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Well, then, Sarge... I guess I'm all yours."

"Good," I growled dramatically into her neck, causing her to squeal into a laugh. "Then you're officially my prisoner."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: There's so much more I wanted to do to Mike, but alas, they were on school property. LOL ;) Making him almost piss his pants will have to do. And how adorable is Sarge with the kids?**

**God, I missed them being together. ;) So their weekend...Bella's birthday has officially started. Oh! And there is another bow. Just so you know... ;) That being said, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb :)**


	135. Chapter 135: Bella

**A/N #1: How freakin' adorable was Sarge with the kids? I swear, my favorite line had to be the one where Ryan opened the door and said he thought she was in trouble because the Army was there. Too cute! Thank you guys SO damn much. All the love & support you've shown us is just truly amazing. So their weekend starts now... Let's see what Edward has planned, huh? :)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, September 10, 2010 at 3:10 P.M.**

"I still can't believe you're here," I huffed, shaking my head as I tucked my laptop into my bag and started to swing it up to my shoulder.

Edward smoothly took it from me and transferred it to his other hand before linking our fingers. "Believe it," he said with a sweet, crooked smile. "Is this all you need?"

I nodded, looking back at my desk. "I've got papers I need to grade in there at some point this weekend, but—"

"No, you don't," Alice trilled happily from the doorway. She bounced excitedly over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. "Enjoy the weekend, sweetie. I've got you covered," she whispered.

Pulling back, she reached her hand out to Edward, letting him give her my bag. "Anything I need to know?"

Laughing, I shook my head. "Simple math problems. Any questions or concerns, just make a note on another sheet of paper, and I can look at it Sunday night." Sighing, I looked at Edward and then back to Alice. "Thanks for helping him, Ali," I murmured.

"Of course, Bells. Rose said to have a good weekend and don't do anything she wouldn't do." She smirked when I barked a laugh.

"God, that means we have permission to do almost anything," I told Edward, rolling my eyes.

"Rose is a smart woman," he said matter-of-factly, the twinkle in his eyes giving away how amused he was. "Alice, your help was greatly appreciated."

"Just get my Jazzy home safely, and we'll call it even," she told him, shrugging.

The three of us left my room and walked down the short hallway together, passing a few teachers and straggling students. I didn't see Angela, or I'd have introduced Edward, and I bypassed Jessica's door on the way out of the building, not wanting to subject Edward to what I knew would be her fascination with him.

"Oh!" I looked down the row of cars to where my Fusion was parked. "What about my car? I'm assuming you got a rental?" I asked Edward.

He nodded. "Rose said she would take care of it."

Alice nodded and held out her hand. "Give me your keys, Bells. Rose dropped me off this morning, and she's going to come by your place and pick me up after I drop your car off."

Smiling, I dragged them out of my pants pocket and handed them over. "Thanks again, Ali."

She just shrugged. "Now go! Enjoy your weekend, and don't worry about a thing."

Edward tugged me to his side and turned us in the other direction toward the visitor's parking lot. "Thanks, Alice. I intend to." With a grin, his hand slid down to cup my ass through my slacks and squeezed.

"Edward!" I laughed, looking around as my face heated.

"Relax, Isabella," he crooned. "No one is out here."

I poked him in the side and reached back to take his hand in mine, waving as Alice drove by and honked once.

Several minutes later, we were headed south on Aurora Avenue.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we crossed over Lake Union.

"I got advice from Emmett and Jasper on where to stay," he admitted, squeezing my fingers, which were still tangled with his and resting on his thigh. "They said there was a place right on Puget Sound that looked out over both the water and the city that was supposed to be really romantic and pretty. You can even see the Space Needle, which is just down the street."

Gasping, I turned to look at him. "Are we going to The Edgewater?" I knew I looked like a fish, but I was unable not to gape at him.

He grinned. "You've heard of it, then?"

"Yes! Angela said that's where she and Ben are going to stay for their honeymoon. They were going to have the wedding there, but it was booked for the date they wanted. I've driven by it, of course, but I've never gone inside."

The place was really interesting from the outside. It was literally built out over the water, almost in the shape of a "J," rather than just a square or rectangular building. The inside was supposed to be an eclectic mix of modern and rustic, depending on what room you stayed in, and luxurious throughout. I hoped we'd have a water view, but looking out over downtown Seattle wouldn't be a hardship...although I had my doubts about how much of a view I'd be wanting to look at with Edward in the room with me.

"We've got the penthouse suite," Edward said, as if he'd heard my inner musings. "I thought you'd rather look out over the water and to the mountains instead of the city. Is that okay?"

Thank goodness he was stopped at a stoplight, because I couldn't take it any longer. Tugging my hand from his, I reached up and pulled him down for a kiss, which didn't last nearly long enough for my taste. We were interrupted when a horn sounded behind us, letting us know the light was green.

Edward laughed, taking my hand again as he hit the gas. "I guess that's a yes."

"Definitely a yes," I giggled. relaxing back against my seat. "I was just thinking that I hoped we would have a view of the Sound, but I wasn't sure how much of the view we'd get to enjoy... I don't know about you, but I plan on being pretty darn occupied the whole weekend."

When he glanced at me, his eyes were dark. "Who says we can't enjoy both? After all, there's a private deck... Late at night, out under the stars..."

I felt heat spread throughout my body, imagining the two of us outside, me riding Edward as we watched the moonlight reflect off the water.

Squeezing my thighs together, desperately needing friction, I slid my hand from his to palm the front of his cargoes. "Drive faster," I urged, squeezing him through the tented fabric.

~oooOOOooo~

By the time Edward and I made it into the elevator, I felt like I was going to combust. I had missed him so much, and physically, nothing had been the same since I'd left Florida. Nothing I could do on my own satisfied me the way he did, and now that he was here with me, it was like every fiber of my being was aching for him.

I was standing in front of him, my back to his chest. I could feel every hard inch of him, from his solid chest to his thighs, and that insistent erection poking my ass as he slowly, surreptitiously thrust against me. We weren't alone in the elevator, unfortunately, so he couldn't touch me like we both wanted. Instead, his arms were wrapped around me, keeping my body flush against his.

"I know what you're thinking, my naughty girl," he murmured into my ear after I jolted against his cock. "The first time we're alone on this thing, you'd better be wearing a dress or a skirt, love, because this elevator is ours."

I shivered, swallowing hard.

Unfortunately, the hotel employee on the other side of the car stayed with us all the way to the top floor and got off at the same time we did, so there was no chance of anything happening right then.

Edward led me down the hall to a door marked Penthouse 1. He pulled a hotel key from his pocket and slid it into the slot, waiting until the light turned green to pull it out and open the door.

The second the door closed behind us, I found myself pressed up against it, Edward's arms trapping me between it and his warm body.

"God, I've missed you," he growled before dipping his head and brushing my lips with his.

I started to tell him I'd missed him, too, but I didn't get the chance. His hand moved to tangle in my hair, and he used that to tilt my head, capturing my lips in a searing kiss that had me swaying on my feet. Our tongues licked and tasted as he forced my head back, deepening the kiss. Just when I thought I would explode from his kiss alone, he pressed one more sweet kiss to my lips and stepped back, leaving both of us breathless.

"Come, love," he said, holding his hand out for me to take.

"I was about to," I grumbled teasingly.

His eyes sparkled with mirth as he led me to the bedroom.

I ignored the suite as we walked through the living room area, past the dining table, and into the spacious bedroom. I noticed the big windows, but my eyes fell to the bed, and that's where I headed, pulling him with me.

When the back of my calves hit the edge of the mattress, I dropped his hand and reached for the top button of my blouse.

"Bella, wait," he said, putting his hand on mine. "I made dinner reservations at Place Pigalle Restaurant, just down the street from here. I want to take you out for a romantic dinner," he explained.

God, he looked so sweet and sincere, but I knew we could go out Saturday night. Tonight, I wanted just Edward.

Unbuttoning another button, I shook my head slowly. "Take me out tomorrow," I requested softly, pulling my lip between my teeth as his eyes took in every inch of skin I revealed as my hands moved from button to button. "Please, Edward," I breathed, finally undoing the last of the buttons after pulling the shirt out from my slacks.

His eyes a green so dark, they looked almost black, Edward huffed a laugh, shaking his head.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit a few buttons before holding it up to his ear.

He smirked and took a step toward me until I felt the rough fabric of his fatigues brush against the soft skin of my stomach.

"Canceling our dinner reservations..."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Weee! :D I would have been like Bella...totally unable to resist the lure of the pretty. ;)**

**There are a couple of teaser pics up on the usual places, so check out our profile for links.  
**

**Guess you know there's a lemon warning next chapter... *grin* So go on...leave some love if you have the patience, and if not, head on over to see what Sarge has to say. ;) – Jenny**


	136. Chapter 136: Edward

**A/N #1: I know you guys are asking for a double post. Just hang in there. I get it, but this birthday weekend is to be...savored. ;) This chapter totally comes with a LEMON WARNING, and I know you're not really listening, so just go on...there's another red bow to be found.**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, September 10, 2010 at 3:46 P.M.**

"What are you doing?" Bella asked, but I could barely concentrate on the phone in my hand due to the copious amount of skin slowly being revealed in front of me.

Stepping forward, I put the phone to my ear. "Canceling our dinner reservations..."

I should've known better than to tease her while I was trying to talk on the phone, especially since it had been so damn long. The fact that she was getting her way and we were staying in caused a wicked smile to curl up the corners of her mouth. Not that I hadn't considered forgetting all about the restaurant the very second we stepped foot in the elevator.

My voice cracked like I was thirteen when someone finally picked up the line at the restaurant because not only had Bella unbuttoned my shirt, but suddenly, she was on her knees in front of me, my belt undone and my fly slowly being unzipped. Even my fucking boots were untied. It was like my brain had stopped functioning altogether. I opened my mouth to speak actual words to the girl on the other end of the line, but nothing came out except a harsh exhale from me because Bella's hand had wrapped around my aching cock over the outside of my boxers.

"Fuck it," I growled, ending the call and tossing my phone to the chair beside the bed. "They'll fucking figure it out when we don't show," I mumbled, shirking out of my fatigue shirt and tugging my T-shirt off over my head.

Bella giggled against my stomach, but my eyes rolled back when her fingers delved into the waistband of my underwear – underwear that had a giant-ass red bow printed on the front – pushing and shoving until I'd kicked out of everything. That left my girl in the sweetest-looking bra and panties I'd ever seen – or maybe I'd just missed seeing her wear them in person. Bella was in pale pink, with black lacy shit around the edges, and she was too far away. I couldn't touch.

"Christ, Bella," I breathed, cupping her face to bring her to me, but she wouldn't budge. "You don't... This weekend is about you, beautiful."

My girl smirked, causing a shudder to wrack my frame when she lightly dragged her lips up my shaft, barely making contact, but I felt it every-fucking-where.

"And I want to suck your cock, Edward. Are you denying me that?" she countered, her voice so fucking sexy and soft and teasing.

Before I could answer, her mouth wrapped around me and sank slowly down, warm and wet and fucking phenomenal. My head fell back, my hands sank deep within dark, silky curls, and I forgot my fucking name. In all reality, she was probably doing us both a favor, because I was going to come so fucking fast. As the fire built deep down in my stomach, I finally looked down to lock with dark brown eyes. I could see the same want, the same need that matched my own, and I could see just how much she loved me. It radiated from her touch, her eyes, her silent urges to make me move.

"Goddamn, I've missed your mouth on me," I panted, squeezing my eyes closed, but I knew there wasn't much more of her sweet mouth I could take.

She hummed around me, and I lost it. A string of curses left my mouth when she swallowed hard, taking everything that spilled from me.

Bella looked rather proud of herself when I finally could see straight, and I reached down to pick her up, tossing her sweet ass into the middle of the bed. It caused the sweetest of giggles to escape her.

"You think I'm done, sexy girl?" I asked, crawling up to brace myself over her. Her head fell back with her laughter, and I nipped and licked at her neck. I couldn't help but smile at the pure happy sound coming from her – a far cry from how she'd been the last few conversations we'd had. Brushing her hair from her face, I gazed down at her. "I think you're even more beautiful than the last time I saw you," I whispered the truth, my brow furrowing.

"I can't believe how much I missed you," she whispered back, leaning up to kiss my lips softly.

"I know, baby. Me, too," I said, finally just losing myself in her.

What started as something fun and teasing shifted slowly into heated and desperate. With every sweep and swirl of our tongues, every finger digging into my back, my shoulders, my ass, and with every sweet unstoppable moan, my hands gripped and pulled, cupped and caressed. I tried to work around the cups of her bra, but really, the thing was just in the fucking way. Without breaking from Bella's sweet lips, I rolled us to our sides, finally unhooking that damn thing, leaving my dog tags right where they belonged – between her sweet breasts.

"Off, dammit!" I growled against her mouth, pulling back just enough so that she could frantically reach up and snatch it off, tossing it somewhere into the room.

"Get back here," she ordered, smiling at my dark chuckle as her fingers tried to weave into my short hair to pull me back on top of her. "You're so growing that shit back out, Edward."

"Yes, ma'am," I answered without even giving it a second thought, grinning evilly at the sexy-as-hell sound she made when my hand finally cupped a breast fully. "Mm, boy, did I miss these..."

Slipping down a little on her body, I pinched and teased one nipple while my mouth latched onto the other, laving my tongue, scraping my teeth, finally sucking it hard into my mouth, all to watch her eyes roll back, her back arch, and her hips roll heavily against mine.

I was so fucking hard for her again, it wasn't even funny, and for a split second, I wondered if my body would always react this way to her.

Dragging my lips down her belly, I grinned, swirling my tongue inside her navel. "Oh, sweet girl... I think I need to mark you again. Don't you?" I asked, gripping each side of her pretty pink and black panties. "I think my special spot looks awfully bare without it..."

"Edward, please..." she huffed, lifting her hips when I slipped her underwear slowly down, only to toss them somewhere behind me.

"Tell me, love," I commanded, swirling my tongue along her bikini line and smiling when her whole body arched. Forcing her hips back down, I sucked hard on her skin, making sure to place a kiss to my mark when it was done. She called my name again, and I glanced up at her pained expression. "You have to tell me, Isabella," I crooned, spreading her legs and leaning down to inhale the pure essence of her – musky, earthy, but floral all at the same time.

I wanted to fucking eat her alive, because I could see how wet she was for me, but small firm hands pulled at my shoulders, my face, my biceps.

"I want you..." she grunted out, her body writhing in the most graceful of waves. "Inside, baby...please..."

"Don't you dare beg," I whispered, scooting up to her face at the same time my hand palmed her fiery hot pussy possessively. My voice was almost a husky growl as I continued with, "Ever," before my mouth met hers again at the same time I sank two fingers deep inside of her.

Seeing her pussy and feeling it were two completely different levels of heaven – or hell...I wasn't sure which – because seeing it wet and swollen and wanting was sexy as all hell; feeling it tightly grip my fingers and knowing my dick was about to sink into her was another. My cock twitched hard in want of her.

"No," she protested, gripping at my hand. "You...Edward. Inside..."

Shifting a little, I lined myself up at her entrance, pressing my forehead to hers as I slowly slid deep within her.

"Fuck," I breathed, my eyes locking with hers. "Oh, baby...you feel so fucking good."

Bella's mouth hung open as she breathed heavily, her hands cupping my face. She was sin and sex, beauty and love, all wrapped around me with smooth skin and strong legs. And for the first time in months, I felt whole again.

Sinking my fingers into her hair at the base of her skull, I kissed down to the spot behind her ear that I knew drove her crazy at the same time I pulled almost all the way out of her. Pushing back in, I started a deep and slow rhythm, whispering everything I'd missed since she'd left.

Bella wrapped her arms all the way around my head to hold me tight against her neck. Her walls clenched down around me, and I knew she was close.

Dragging my teeth along her soft skin only to suckle lightly, I whispered, "Let go for me, Bella."

I couldn't help but smile against her flesh when her body obeyed me instantly. Fuck, she was just stunning when she came – skin that flushed all the way from her cheeks down her chest to her navel, a neck that arched back to the pillow, and dark eyes that rolled back into her head, all while my name spilled beautifully from her lips into my ear.

"Hold on, love," I panted, sitting back on my knees and grasping her hips.

Nothing was as stunning as Bella stretched out in front of me, as perfect as watching my cock move in and out of her and as her breasts moved with every thrust I gave her. She grabbed the headboard, her teeth sinking down onto her bottom lip as I pulled her hips to mine over and over. My thumb sought out her clit.

"Another one, baby. Give it to me," I commanded, gritting my teeth when her heels dug into my ass.

I knew I wouldn't make it through another of her climaxes. She squeezed too tightly, felt too fucking good for me to survive it. As soon as her legs gripped my thighs harder and her head fell back, her breathing coming out in short bursts, I let go at the same time she did. Both of us cried out, and I fell back over her, bracing my arms on either side of her head when my breathing completely stopped as her pussy milked me.

"Don't move, don't move," Bella panted, wrapping herself around me and pulling me down to her.

"'Kay," I said, allowing most of my weight to settle on her. "I'll squish you."

"Don't care," she said with a small shrug of her shoulder.

I chuckled softly, dropping kisses to her cheek, her nose, and finally her lips. Gazing down at her, I whispered, "Love you."

"Love you, too," she said back, giving me my favorite smile as her teeth latched onto her bottom lip. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I see that," I teased, grinning when she giggled because it caused absolutely sensational things to happen to our bodies. "I missed you, and I figured I owed you a birthday surprise..."

She grinned, leaning up to press her lips to mine. "Lucky me. Sorry about dinner..."

"I'm not," I said, smiling crookedly and shrugging a shoulder. I trailed the backs of my fingers along her cheek. "I should really cancel that reservation. Room service?"

"Yeah," she agreed with a nod and another kiss to my lips. "I didn't eat much lunch, and I can imagine you're starving after traveling..."

"Yeah, but I still want to spoil you. Do you think you can refrain from touching long enough for me to set that up, sweet girl?" I chuckled.

She sighed, rolling her eyes, but dramatically said, "I'll try, babe. But I'm not making any promises."

I laughed, kissed her lips, and pulled out of her embrace. "I suppose that'll have to do. Don't move," I growled, pointing a finger to her.

She laughed, holding up her hands in a sign of surrender. "Yes..._Sarge._"

Shaking my head at just how much that drove me crazy, I scooted off the bed and grabbed my phone to finish what I'd _tried_ to do earlier. Though, from the hungry look in her eye, I wasn't sure how far I'd get.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Heehee...his boxers had a giant red bow... XD You gotta love that he remembers every-damn-thing. Check out our profile for a link to the picture of what I envisioned. ;)  
**

**This is a beautiful weekend. I want you guys to really eat it up. We didn't want to rush through it. It's all sorts of lemony and sweet and fun and a sort of preparation for his homecoming. I hope you guys like it.**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow, troops. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	137. Chapter 137: Bella

**A/N #1: Whew! Gotta love the sexytimez with our Sarge. ;) Their weekend continues, so with a big LEMON WARNING...keep reading!**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, September 10, 2010 at 5:52 P.M.**

I groaned a little when I stretched, already feeling the burn of using muscles I hadn't used this much since I'd left Florida. Edward and I hadn't been at the hotel for more than a couple of hours, but we'd made love twice and I'd come twice more from his mouth and fingers.

"You okay?" he murmured softly, running his fingers gently through my hair as I lay in his arms.

"Mmm. Just a little tender," I chuckled, my own fingers doing their own exploring of light dusting of hair on his chest and the "happy trail" leading down to what was currently covered by only a sheet.

Edward pulled me tighter against his side and brushed a kiss across my temple. "You want to soak in the tub before dinner gets here?"

Glancing over at the clock, I saw that I'd have just about ten minutes before room service delivered the order Edward had placed in secret, wanting to surprise me.

"Nope, I'm good," I answered, turning back to him and smiling. "Maybe we can use that big tub together later?"

He nodded, smiling contentedly. "Sounds perfect, love."

"I am going to get up and take a moment in the bathroom, though," I said, realizing part of my discomfort was that I really had to take care of Mother Nature. I wanted to clean up a bit, too. "I'm going to clean up and wash my face."

I scooted up and cupped his face in my palm, stroking his scruffy jaw with my thumb before leaning down to kiss him tenderly. "I love you, Edward Masen," I told him, feeling every bit of emotion inside me welling up and threatening to spill out at the love I saw in his hooded green eyes and soft, crooked smile.

"Do you really have any idea how important you are to me? Any concept at all of how much I love you?" he asked softly in response.

I felt my heart sputter when he said those simple words. I couldn't help but kiss him again, feeling so extraordinarily grateful and lucky to have this man in my life.

Finally, I broke the kiss, deciding my body had had enough waiting. I stood and made my way naked to the bathroom. When I looked back, he had scooted up on the bed, leaning back against the headboard, the sheet pooled around his waist. He looked relaxed and so fucking happy, it took all I had to close the door behind me.

~oooOOOooo~

I heard the knock on the door to the suite right after I came out of the bathroom. Seeing Edward's shirt and boxers on the floor, I quickly pulled them on. His fatigues were on the floor, as well, so when I heard him speaking with the room service waiter, I had to wonder what he had put to go out to the living room.

As soon as the door to the suite closed, I made my way out to Edward, self-consciously checking my chin for drool as I looked at the gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips, showing off the vee that led to the promised land. Apparently, I'd stood stupidly stunned in the doorway for too long because he looked up from arranging dishes on the table and smiled a sexy, all-knowing smile.

"I like your choice of outfits, Isabella," he said, his voice deeper than normal. He padded on bare feet over to me, stopping just short of actually touching me. Running a finger down the neckline of the shirt, his finger barely grazed my skin, igniting a fire under his touch.

"W-We don't need dinner, do we?" I asked, clenching my hands into fists at my sides. I wanted him so badly, even after all the time we'd spent in bed already.

Edward chuckled, sliding his hand back up to cup the back of my neck and tangling his fingers gently in my hair. He tilted my head up and lowered his to brush my lips with his once, twice. His lips were warm and soft and his kisses tender. "Let's eat, love. We have all night for that, and we'll need the energy dinner gives us."

~oooOOOooo~

I set my fork down on the plate, unable to eat another bite. I glanced wistfully at the dome-covered desserts, but I knew if I ate the one Edward had ordered for me – a Triple Chocolate Mousse with cherry brandy reduction – I'd be too full for anything else tonight, and that was just unacceptable.

"We can put them in the fridge for later," Edward said, interrupting my inner debate.

Looking up, I saw the sexy smirk as he tried and failed to hold in his amusement.

I thought about pretending to be indignant, telling him we couldn't all have a hollow leg – where he and the boys put all the food they ate, I had no idea – but after a moment, I realized, fuck it. Laughing softly, I nodded. "That would be good."

I put the desserts in the small refrigerator while Edward gathered the rest of our dishes and set them out in the hall. When he came back into the dining area, I was looking out over the water from one of the wall-to-wall picture bay windows throughout the suite. Wrapping his arms around me, he set his chin on my shoulder and sighed.

"Happy?" I asked, turning in his arms and stretching up on my toes to kiss him softly.

He smiled against my lips, nodding. "Incredibly so."

As he lowered me back to my feet, I shivered.

"Cold?" he asked, rubbing my back and pulling me tighter against him.

"Little bit," I admitted. Standing where we were, the glass of the windows was cold from the outside air. "And just full and relaxed."

"How about a bath?" Edward murmured against my hair, even as his hands moved to rub my arms, warming me.

I didn't even have to think it over. Looking up at him, I smiled. "Join me?"

In answer, he scooped me into his arms, grinning when I squealed and laughed, and carried me into the bathroom, setting me on my feet again just inside the door.

Looking almost embarrassed, Edward gestured to the door to the toilet, which was separated by itself in a corner of the bathroom. "Do you...?"

I smiled, stretching up to kiss him again, and then nodded. "Start the water," I murmured against his lips before turning and closing the door behind me.

When I came out, Edward smiled and brushed past me to take care of himself. When the door clicked shut, I pulled off the T-shirt and boxers, kicking them out of the way before moving to the counter, where my bag with my bathroom stuff sat. I unloaded what I knew I'd want – thank you, Alice and Rose – and then moved to the large tub on the other side of the room. The water was about halfway up the sides. I reached in to test the temperature, and finding it just perfect – warm enough to feel hot, but not scalding – I carefully stepped in.

I couldn't stop the quiet moan that escaped as I sank down into the water. I could already feel it working to warm and relax me, so much so that I didn't hear Edward until he stepped up to the tub. Looking up in surprise, I felt my face warm at his amused expression.

"Falling asleep?" he asked innocently.

I growled playfully and sat up, scooting forward so he could slip in behind me. "Get in here, Masen," I huffed, grinning as he laughed and climbed carefully into the tub.

Once he was settled, his long legs outside of mine and his arms loosely wrapped around my waist, I sighed happily and covered his arms with mine, playing with the fine hair on his arm with my fingers. We were quiet for a few minutes, just relaxing and letting the water soothe us. Finally, I broke the silence with a thought that had been running through my head since even this morning when I first woke up.

"Three weeks..."

"Hmm?" Edward asked, his warm breath tickling my neck.

"Until you're out," I explained. "That was my first thought this morning. Yesterday was three weeks to your last day in the military."

He nodded without commenting.

After another quiet moment, a question spilled out of me that I hadn't planned to ask. "Will you miss it?"

Edward squeezed me once, sighing. "In some ways, I will. I'll miss the camaraderie – although since I'm friends with Emmett and Jasper now...as well as you and the girls...it isn't as if I'm going to get out and not know anyone." He paused, moving one hand to take mine. "I'm also going to miss the structure of the military. It's all I've known since I was eighteen. Suddenly being without that is going to be damn disconcerting." His voice deepened then. "But what I'm gaining... You have no idea, love. So much more than anything I'm giving up."

Turning my head, I kissed his jaw, his day's worth of scruff rough under my lips.

"What about you?" he asked after another quiet minute. "Your life is going to be changing, too, sweet girl. Are you worried?"

My immediate reaction was a vehement denial, but rather than saying anything, I took a minute to really think. Finally, I spoke. "I'm not really worried about living together. We know so much about each other by now that we're really not going to run into too many surprises. I am going to miss something, though," I admitted.

"What's that?"

"Our emails," I said simply. "They've always been honest. From the beginning, we've been able to talk openly about everything. It'll be different now."

Edward shook his head, squeezing my hand. "The only thing that will be different now is that instead of those honest and open talks happening through email, they'll be in person. If we make an effort, not only will it not be different in a bad way, it will be better. All those times we wished we could say something face to face... Now we can. I can hold your hand"—he squeezed my hand with his—"and look into your eyes when we talk about our days. If you have a bad day at school, I can hold you in my arms. And love... You'll still be going to school; I'll be going to school. Nothing says our emails have to stop."

I sighed happily when he pressed another kiss to my hair.

Soon, the water began to cool. I scooted up and unplugged the drain, letting a little of the water out, and then stopped it back up and turned the water on to make it warmer in the tub. When I scooted back, I grabbed my sponge and body wash.

Reaching over my shoulder, I asked, "Wash my back?"

Edward took them, and I heard a click as he opened the cap and then the noise of the strawberry-scented wash as he squeezed it out of the bottle. He gently pressed on my upper back, bending me forward a bit. Rubbing up and down my spine firmly, he then held my hair out of the way so he could reach my neck and shoulders. It was so relaxing, I was boneless as his hands moved to my arms and around to my front.

Using slow, sexy circles, Edward started lathering my breasts. My head fell back to his shoulder as he circled each nipple, making them even harder than they had been. From there, he stroked down my chest and over my stomach, making me whimper when he brushed the sponge across the top of my bikini line, and continued down. But when he moved to the left and across my thigh instead of between my legs, I huffed.

"Don't tease..." I said with a frown.

Edward chuckled. "Patience, love."

After switching to the other thigh, he then moved back up between my legs and oh-so-slowly swiped from bottom to top, pressing a bit more as he circled my clit before moving back down. On and on like that he went, until I was afraid with much more stimulation, I would come. I didn't want that. Not yet.

Stilling his hand with mine, I moved it away from my body, curled my knees up, and then carefully turned until I was straddling his thighs. I was far enough back that our lower bodies weren't pressed together but close enough I could easily reach him.

Taking the sponge from him, I added more body wash before picking up one of his hands. I scrubbed each hand and arm gently, massaging as I went. Edward's eyes were closed, his head back, totally relaxed. When I moved the sponge to his chest, he sighed, his hands falling into the water and running lazily up and down my legs from my ankles to my knees and back again.

After teasing his nipples and making them tighten, I ran the sponge down over the ridges of his abdomen, wishing it was my tongue and not the sponge, finally reaching the thatch of hair between his legs. His erection was standing tall and proud, and I couldn't help but run the sponge up and down his length.

"Oh, fuck!" Edward cried in surprise. His head came up, and his eyes flew open. They were hooded, dark, and his breathing was heavy as I continued to gently run the sponge over his cock. "Bella," he groaned, his fingers tightening slightly around my ankles. "So warm...so slick..."

Concentrating on stroking the underside of the shaft right below the head, I knew I'd hit pay dirt when his hips bucked.

"So sensitive," I murmured, running the sponge over the spot near the head of his cock where the skin was ultra thin and packed with nerve endings.

"Bella..." Edward was breathing faster, soft moans escaping from his lips every few strokes of the sponge. "Fuck, baby!"

As much as I wanted to see him come, I wanted to feel him inside me when he did it. I tossed the sponge behind us and then scooped up handful after handful of clean water to rinse us both off. The entire time, Edward's eyes were dark and hooded as he watched me from under lowered lashes.

He helped me stand and then climbed out, holding out his hand for me to use for support as I followed him out of the tub. Once I had both feet on the floor, Edward handed me a towel.

"You have one minute," he told me in almost a growl. "One minute to dry off as much as you want before I carry you to the bed."

_Oh boy!_

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: MmMmMm! Wet, soapy, delicious Sarge? Yes, please!**

**Thank you guys so much for all the kind words and support. We love you guys! Now leave us some love, and then head over to see what Sarge has to say today. :) – Jenny**


	138. Chapter 138: Edward

**A/N #1: You gotta love room service. This was a fun chapter for me. Just simply because I could see Sarge becoming excited about his future move. See me at the bottom...**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 8:21 A.M.**

Gazing out the sliding glass doors, I could feel the slight chill of the day emanating from the glass as I sipped a cup of coffee. I was up early, as always, trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was standing in what would be my new hometown in less than three weeks. I wanted to see it, play in it...spend the day with my girl learning about it.

I walked over to the bed, setting my cup on the nightstand, and slipped under the covers behind Bella. Placing a long, slow kiss to her tattoo, I smiled against her sweet-smelling skin when she reacted instantly.

"Wake up, Isabella," I crooned in her ear, unable to not tease her with my hand by sliding it palm flat around to her stomach and between her breasts. I chuckled silently when she grunted, rolled to face me, and burrowed her face into my neck. "Please, sweet girl?" I whispered, holding her as close as I could.

Her legs tangled with mine, and she grunted again as she tugged on my sweatpants with her toes. "Why skin...covered up?" she mumbled groggily against my neck.

"Because I'm pretty sure that the guy delivering breakfast to our room wouldn't appreciate me answering the door naked," I told her.

She giggled softly, her warm breath ghosting across my throat. "You don't know that for sure..."

"I don't want to find out. Let's put it that way."

"You're pretty, Sarge. Either sex can appreciate that," she murmured against my jaw, dropping soft kisses behind my ear. "_He_ might've tipped _you_." She grinned against my ear, clearly amused with herself.

I laughed, burying it into her bare shoulder. "Pretty? Please never say that in front of Emmett. Men prefer ruggedly handsome..."

Bella snorted softly. "Fine, whatever." She sighed contentedly, pulling back to look up at me with sleepy-sweet brown eyes. "Why are we up so early?"

"I want to play with you today."

"Isn't that what we've been doing?" she teased, placing a kiss to my chin.

"Yes, and there will be more of that." I chuckled, raising my eyebrows up and down, which earned me another giggle and an eye roll. "But I meant out there...dressed, in public, seeing shit."

Bella smiled, cupped my face, and nodded. "You want to see the city?"

"Yes." I nodded vehemently, giving her the biggest, most pathetic puppy face I could muster at the same time that my hand cupped her ass, giving it a squeeze.

"That's kinda pitiful, babe," she chuckled, shaking her head at me. "No need for the heavy artillery, Masen. We'll go do the tourist thing..."

"Good!" I said, kissing her lips hard and fast. "Then get up, Miss Swan." I smacked her ass cheek lightly.

"Tease," she muttered, rolling her eyes at the laugh that barked out of me. She sat up, holding the sheet around her. "You know," she mused, running her free hand through my hair, "I've never seen the Space Needle..."

"You live here," I pointed out, my eyebrows raising high.

"I'm aware," she laughed. "I've just...never been." She shrugged one bare shoulder that I couldn't resist kissing.

I then kissed her lips and quickly got out of bed. "Then we are so going... Breakfast. Showers. Let's go!"

She laughed, shaking her head, giving me a mock salute. "Sir, yes, sir!"

~oooOOOooo~

"Who knew all that stuff was underground?" Bella asked, leaning into my side when I wrapped an arm around her as we left the little restaurant.

"Apparently, a lot of people. It's a tour," I teased with a laugh, grunting when she poked my stomach. "Oh, come on. You know you always wanted to see the first flushing toilet..."

"Um, the thought never entered my mind, Edward," she muttered. "Some things you just accept at face value."

"You mean, like our tour guide flirting with you?" I asked, dodging another poke to my stomach.

"He was gay."

"Not in the least bit," I stated with a laugh and a shake to my head. "In fact, he's probably got your ass memorized by now."

"He was staring at you!" she laughed, color tinging her cheeks.

The two of us stopped dead on the street, realizing that the guy had been staring at both of us. Bella's evil smirk crept up her beautiful face. I could see what she was about to say coming a mile away.

I tsked, rolling my eyes. "I don't share," I stated firmly. "Hell, I can barely play well with others, Isabella."

"You play just fine with me," she purred, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"You...I love. Him...not so much," I grumped, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk and swinging her in front of me. "He almost disappeared in those tunnels," I admitted with a wave of my hand, frowning down at her ever-so-amused face.

Bella laughed, taking my hands. "Come on...the Space Needle. And don't make me point out our waitress back there, babe. 'Are you _sure_ I can't get you _anything_ else?'" she mocked in a high pitched voice.

Scoffing, I let it go and guided her back to the hotel so we could get the car. I hadn't thought my girl had heard the waitress...until she returned silently from the restroom. To be honest, I hadn't even given the woman a second glance until she'd tossed out the innuendo my way. It happened more times than I'd like to admit, even more so if Emmett, Jasper, and I were out somewhere together.

~oooOOOooo~

The view from the top of the Space Needle was breathtaking. It was a cool, crisp day, allowing for a clear view all the way around the observation deck. Seattle was big, bustling, and on one side, surrounded by water – the Pacific, which was much bluer than the Gulf of Mexico. Having grown up inland and then been stationed in the desert, the ocean still fascinated me. The endlessness of it, the constant push and pull of it. The water screamed freedom, but it also soothed the soul.

"Intimidating, right?" Bella asked from my side, offering me a sip of her drink. "With how big the city is, I mean."

"No, not really," I told her, stepping in front of her and pressing her against the railing, my hands on either side of her head. "Chicago, remember?" I chuckled. "Did it scare you to move here from Forks?"

"Wait 'til you see Forks," she muttered wryly, rolling her eyes adorably, which caused me to laugh softly. "So small...everyone knows everyone else's business. But no, not really. It was only scary leaving my dad. I liked living with him the last few years of high school, taking care of him and making sure he ate healthy. Otherwise, he'd eat at the diner all day, every day."

I smiled, brushing my lips across hers. I loved that she took care of people. It was just how she was. She didn't do it out of obligation or necessity but because she loved them, wanted to make sure they felt loved. It came shining through in the simplest of things – cooking, emails, even her voice.

"Love you," I whispered against her lips as she murmured it back, ignoring the stunning scenery, the tourists around us, even the screaming kid in the stroller a few feet away. "Please let me take you to dinner," I begged, grinning at her giggle. "No getting out of it this time, Miss Swan. I want to spoil you for your birthday."

"You're _here_," she laughed. "That's _really_ spoiling me, Edward."

I shook my head because that was nothing compared to what I wanted to do for her, which was hand her the world on a silver platter. She need only to ask for it.

"Please?" I pleaded, taking her top lip and then her bottom, only to pull away just slightly.

"Okay," she conceded, nuzzling my nose with her own, which was freezing. "You don't fight fair."

I laughed, taking her hand to leave the needle. I picked it up and kissed the back of it. "I never claimed that I did, sweet girl."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I think Sarge secretly enjoys showing off his girl...to an extent. LOL**

**Thanks to everyone over at TWCS. _Coming Home_ is now a featured story! :D Thank you so, so much for all your support. It still shocks me at the attention this fic is getting, and believe me, we love all of you for it.**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	139. Chapter 139: Bella

**A/N #1: I love that you guys are loving their time together. :) Thank you for all your sweet words telling us so! Edward wants to show off his girl, so I'll see you at the bottom. :)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... September 11, 2010 at 6:42 P.M.**

"I'll be right back," Edward murmured, excusing himself quietly from the table before heading back to the hallway where the restrooms were located.

On our way into the Space Needle a few minutes before, an older woman's pretty hat had blown off her head, and Edward, being much more spry than her husband, had taken off after it. He'd gotten the woman's hat back, much to her pleasure and his embarrassment; she had pulled him in for a quick hug and kiss to his cheek, making him blush and stammer out that it had been no trouble. Unfortunately, he'd also gotten dirt on his hands, so he was going now to clean them after placing our drink orders.

I watched him walk confidently through the dining room and sighed. He was gorgeous, even from behind, although I had to chuckle because that was what he'd said to me as we'd been getting ready to leave the hotel a few minutes before. We had been in a hurry because our reservations were for six thirty, and by the time we'd left the Space Needle, it was already four o'clock. We'd have been fine, but then Edward had seen the Ride the Ducks of Seattle tour, and since I hadn't been on it, either, we'd decided to go. Like the underground tour, the "ducks" had lasted ninety minutes, which meant by the time we got back to the hotel, we'd had less than an hour for us both to shower and dress for dinner.

_Edward walked out of the bathroom wrapped in only a towel, making me check my chin for drool._

"_Holy crap, you're hot!" I blurted before giggling at the sexy smirk that grew on his face until he was grinning from ear to ear. "What? It's true!" I waved a hand loosely from head to toe. "Water, six-pack... I can't help it if I want to lick you all over."_

_He burst out laughing. "Maybe later, sweetheart. I'm taking you out tonight. No arguments."_

_I pouted until he came over to me, firm grip on his towel, and kissed me once, making me sigh happily. "Fine," I huffed teasingly. "But next time, we shower together."_

_He waggled an eyebrow suggestively a few times before grinning and turning me toward the bathroom. "Go. Shower. You have—" he checked his watch "—thirty minutes."_

_I squealed and ran to the bathroom, shedding my clothes as I went. When I stepped out of my jeans just outside the bathroom door, leaving me in only my bra and panties, Edward made an appreciative noise in his throat._

"_Fucking gorgeous view, Isabella..."_

_Without looking back, I reached behind me, unsnapped my bra, and slid it down my arms to drop it on the floor, laughing at Edward's very long, very deep groan._

"Ma'am, would you like something to start off your meal?"

I came out of the daydream to see the waiter standing beside the table. I was surprised to see that he'd set Edward's beer and my wine down already.

"Oh, sorry! Yes, please. We'll take the Dungeness Crab Cakes," I said, pointing to the menu. From our previous emails, I knew that was something Edward and I both liked.

"Excellent choice," the waiter – Thomas, if I remembered right – said, nodding. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take the rest of your order." He gave me a friendly smile and turned to go back to the kitchen.

I took a sip of my wine and was looking out at the view when I saw Edward's reflection in the glass just before he slid into his seat across from me.

"If he doesn't keep his eyes to himself..." he growled under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear.

Laughing softly, I turned to him and shook my head. "Edward, the boy is nineteen, if a day. I'm too old for him... He called me ma'am, for goodness sakes. Besides, he's just being friendly."

"Mmm." He huffed again before picking up his beer and taking a drink. When he set it down, he was smiling. "You're just too beautiful, love. If I didn't say it enough earlier, you make that dress look stunning."

Shrugging, I teased, "This old thing?"

He smirked because I'd told him at the hotel that it was one of my newest purchases that I'd bought specifically to wear out with him once he moved here, and Alice must have decided that this weekend was the perfect time for me to wear it.

We made small talk until Thomas materialized beside our table, pen and tablet in hand.

"Do you know what you'd like for your main course tonight?" he asked, looking at me and smiling.

"Yes, thank you, Thomas." I smiled back at him, picking up the menu again. Pointing to the first entree on the list, I said, "I'll have the salmon with the grilled asparagus instead of kale, if that's all right."

Thomas wrote my order, nodding. "Yes, absolutely. You'll enjoy the asparagus."

Edward cleared his throat, drawing our attention.

"A-And for you, sir?" Thomas said, stammering before regaining his composure.

"I'll have the New York Strip," Edward answered gruffly.

I had to hold in my laughter when Thomas paled even further. I knew Edward was all bark and no bite at the moment, but Thomas apparently didn't. Sliding my foot out of my shoe under the table, I stretched out my leg and found Edward's, rubbing gently up and down his calf.

He visibly relaxed, reaching out for my hand.

I slid my hand into his as Thomas asked how Edward would like his steak cooked.

"Medium, thank you." It wasn't nearly as hard as the last, and I could tell Thomas appreciated it.

I squeezed his hand to show my thanks that he had backed off a bit. Edward had told me that everywhere we'd gone today, I'd had at least one admirer. He'd apparently reached his limit.

Once Thomas had left the table, Edward seemed to relax completely. We picked up our conversation from before placing our order.

"So you think you guys are going to start packing up the house that last week?"

Edward nodded, rolling his eyes. "You'd be amazed at how much...stuff...we've bought since being back in the U.S. Just the other day, Emmett came home from the store with the oddest thing..."

I chuckled, rubbing my thumb on Edward's palm as I listened to the story of Emmett and the musical fish that he'd insisted on hanging on the living room wall.

~oooOOOooo~

By the time we had finished our entrees, the sky outside was dark, and the skyline was lit up, making the view incredibly dramatic.

"I love looking out like this," I said. "It's so pretty with all the lights on the buildings."

Edward hummed appreciatively and then stood, coming around to sit beside me. "You were too far away," he said quietly, leaning over and brushing a kiss on my cheek and trailing his nose up to my ear. "And it's not the view I'm looking at, beautiful girl."

He scooted my chair closer until our shoulders were touching and then reached below the table. My dress was short enough that his hand landed on skin, and he groaned softly, squeezing my leg once.

We talked while waiting for Thomas to bring our check, and through it all, Edward was running his hand up and down my thigh. At one point, I moaned when his fingers brushed against my center and paused, his hand tense on my leg.

"No panties, Isabella?" he growled softly into my ear. "Oh, love, I'm glad I didn't know that until now. There's no way we'd have made it out of the hotel if I'd known that."

I smiled, nodding my head slowly. "All for you, Sarge. What are you going to do about it?"

Abruptly, Edward moved his hand away from my leg, pulling out his wallet. He reached in, shuffled through bills, and then tossed a wad of cash onto the table just as Thomas stepped up with the check. Edward glanced at it and nodded.

"That should cover everything," he said tightly, sliding his wallet back into his slacks. "Thank you."

When he stood, he held out his hand for mine, and once I had gotten to my feet and smoothed out my dress, I took it, smiling at Thomas.

"Thank you," I told the young man, giggling as Edward squeezed my hand and then tugged gently, moving me along.

"Come, Isabella," he said, his voice now a purr. "We need to get back to the hotel...now."

_Finally,_ I thought to myself with a silent giggle, quickening my steps.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: No panties! She's learning! ;)**

**I can just imagine Sarge getting embarrassed when the old lady kissed his cheek, can't you? Some of you thought he had a specific purpose for taking her out, but really, like I said at the top, Edward just wanted a chance to treat his girl and show her off. :) sugunary, I could lie and say the mention of the duck ride was for you, but it was already written. I hope it made you smile that Edward saw them and wanted to go! :)**

**There are 2 pictures to go along with this chapter, so check out or profile for a link! :)**

**Now, it seems like Sarge has a plan...so leave me some love & then head on over to see what...comes next. *grin* – Jenny**


	140. Chapter 140: Edward

**A/N #1: Poor Thomas... LOL Okay, guys, this has a rather large LEMON WARNING... Not that it stops any of you, but I try to let you know. ;) Carry on... I'll see you at the bottom.**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 8:36 P.M.**

All day. All fucking day I'd had to keep the wolves at bay. Isabella was too beautiful for her own damn good. And she never fucking saw it. Ever.

The fact that she gave no man the time of day settled me down but only by a small margin. I remembered taking Tanya out – a beautiful woman in her own right – and she'd reacted differently. Tanya relished the attention, flaunted it, returned the flirting right back. At the time, it didn't bother me, because that was just Tanya – all flair, self-centered, and eventually a cheater.

But the only attention Bella wanted was mine – a fact that made her unattainable – yet the men couldn't help but stare because they wanted what they couldn't have. I never felt a fraction for Tanya the way I felt for Bella, so the mere thought of someone wanting her made me just shy of acting like a caveman, of which our poor waiter caught the brunt. I knew the kid was harmless, that Bella's sweet smile and stunning face made him nervous, but I didn't care. He represented them all – the tour guide that stared at her ass, the married man twice her age at the Space Needle that ignored his chattering wife as drool practically slid down his chin at the sight of Bella in tight-as-hell jeans, the table full of college boys we'd passed on the sidewalk that suddenly stopped talking, and finally, the doorman at the hotel, who was one more lick of his lips shy of his picture showing up on a fucking milk carton.

Bella saw none of them, but I was done, especially knowing that she was bare underneath that sexy ass dress she was wearing. By the time we reached the elevator, I could barely keep my hands in check.

The car was full when the two doors slid shut, and we were forced to the back, surrounded by older couples and several businessmen and women, all chatting loudly. I had to position Bella in front of me, which caused a giggle to escape her because she could feel me pressing into her back.

"Problem, Sarge?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

I bent to her ear, dropping my voice down low. "Nothing I don't plan on taking care of once we're in the room, love."

While loud talk of conventions or meetings or some shit waged loudly around us, I took the opportunity to tease Bella.

"I have a sneaking suspicion, Miss Swan," I started, wrapping one arm around her waist while the other stealthily skimmed up the back of her dress, "that I'm not the only one with a...problem."

I felt more than heard the moan that erupted from her. It was lost in the chatter of the elevator.

"Uh uh, baby. You have to keep so very quiet..." I told her softly in her ear, instantly becoming a hypocrite when my own moan escaped.

She was already wet, her legs spreading slightly for me as her ass arched back just a little. My fingers teased from her clit, around her entrance, to between the cheeks of her ass, and all my actions were hidden in the corner of the elevator.

"I don't think I have time to make you come, sweet girl," I said softly in her ear, my eyes glancing up at how quickly our floor was approaching, "but tell me... Who makes you this wet?" I smiled into her hair when her breathing picked up, her body leaned a little more against me, and her hips arched, but she said nothing. "Is it me? Do I make you this wet?" I asked, grateful for the noise around us as I sank a finger into her wet heat. "Don't speak, love, but tell me."

She nodded fervently, her fingers twining with mine against her stomach, giving my hand a shaky squeeze. Her head fell back to my shoulder, and I couldn't help but place a kiss to her neck.

"Stand up straight," I whispered against her skin. "You don't want them knowing what I'm doing to you, do you?" I asked, adding another finger inside of her as she lifted her head.

If she was wet before, she was absolutely drenched now because I was giving her the one fantasy she'd told me about. My girl loved the idea that she was surrounded by people completely oblivious to what we were doing. No one knew. They weren't even paying us any attention.

Bella jumped when the bell dinged, signaling a stop. I chuckled darkly, pulling her closer to me, but my fingers continued to tease. The larger, louder group of businessmen and women exited the car, leaving us with two older couples.

"Now you _really_ have to behave, Isabella," I warned low in her ear, moaning almost silently when her walls clamped down on my fingers once. My girl was close. "Mmm," I purred, dragging my tongue along her ear, "maybe you will come for me in time, baby."

Bella's juices covered my hand, but we both froze when the elevator stopped again, the last of the passengers stepping out into the corridor without so much as a glance back at us, which made me wonder if they even knew we'd been behind them.

We had two more floors. And we were now alone.

"Fuck," Bella hissed when the doors slid shut, reaching behind her to grip my short hair as best she could.

I bent down, kissing the shit out of her, my tongue claiming, my fingers not stopping, and finally, nipping her bottom lip with my teeth.

"Come now, Bella," I breathed against her mouth, my eyes soaking up the sight of her. She was so fucking close.

One more floor.

"You know what I'm gonna to do to you?" I rumbled in her ear, teasing her clit as she shook her head. "I'm gonna strip you down in front of our window. I'm going to fuck you in front of the entire city, Bella. Hard. I'm going to take what's mine..."

My girl's breath caught when I curled my fingers at the same time I brushed another finger across her clit, her head falling back to my shoulder again as her knees shook.

"Edward...fuck!" she hissed, coming hard around my hand.

I knew better than to think I had all the control because by the time we reached the door to our room, Bella had recovered. Popping up between me and the door, my girl's mouth was on mine, causing all thought processes to come to a complete and utter halt. I was so fucking turned on by what we'd just done that I could barely comprehend that my shirt was being pulled from my pants and warm hands were pulling at my sides and back.

Fumbling with the key card, I finally got the door unlocked without my mouth leaving hers. Gripping a handful of her hair, I barely got us inside the room before we fell back against the door, my body covering hers.

"Christ, Bella," I panted, pressing my forehead to hers as my hand reached down to hitch her leg up around my hip at the same time her quick, nimble fingers unbuttoned my shirt. I shrugged out of it, letting it fall to the floor, and smiled when she pulled at my dog tags to bring me back to her mouth. "In a hurry, love?"

"You have no fucking idea, Edward," she rasped, and it sounded like a growl coming from her.

My fingers found the zipper of her dress, yanking it down roughly. The material fell away from her shoulders, and it pained me to step away just long enough to shove the damn thing to the floor.

"Goddamnit, you're beautiful..." I groaned, shaking my head at the sight of her completely bare in front of me. She'd had nothing on under that dress. Nothing. "And you're trying to kill me," I muttered as I leaned back into her, smiling against her mouth when she laughed sexily.

"I'm trying to fuck you, babe... There's a difference," she chuckled darkly, wrapping her arms around my neck.

God, I loved her. Every-fucking-thing about her.

Scooping her up and wrapping her legs around my waist, I pulled her from the door at the same time I was trying to kiss her. It was messy, awkward, but neither of us gave a shit. She squeaked into my mouth when I pressed her up against the cold ass window.

"Cold?" I teased with a chuckle, watching as her nipples tightened and her fingers flew to my belt.

"I don't care," she mumbled, her hand finally slipping inside to cover my hard cock over my boxer-briefs. I was so damned hard for her that my tip was just about to the waistband.

I moaned, burying my face in her neck. "Not like this," I panted, squeezing my eyes closed at just how fucking good her hands felt. "Put your feet down, baby. Please." I kicked out of my socks and shoes, and Bella shoved my pants and underwear down so that I could step out of those, too. "Turn around and face the window, Isabella," I ordered, taking her hands and pressing them flat against the cold glass, holding them there once she'd turned.

I leaned in, kissing from her shoulder, up her neck, to her ear. "Look, love," I practically growled, tapping the glass in front of her face at the same time I ground my cock between her legs. "Look at all those fucking people. Don't you think they should know, sweet girl?" I urged her legs farther apart with my knee, bending her slightly at the waist, all while still holding her hand flat against the window. "All fucking day, I've watched as men stared at you, wanted you. I fucking hated it."

"You weren't the only one," she panted, glancing over her shoulder with a deep, heated, fiery look in her eye, moaning long and heavily when my cock brushed against her clit.

Chuckling darkly, I nuzzled her cheek. "Then perhaps we both have something to prove..." I murmured, swirling my tongue along the soft spot just behind her ear at the same time my fingers teased the smooth, silky skin along her bikini line. "Yes?" I asked, nipping at her earlobe when she didn't answer. "Yes, Isabella?"

"Yes..." she gasped, but it turned into another moan when my hips pushed forward again to brush against her entrance all the way to her clit. "Edward, stop teasing," she ground out through gritted teeth.

Trailing my fingers up her arm, across her shoulder, and down her spine, I finally grasped ahold of my dick and lined up with her entrance. Placing my hand back over hers against the cold window, I sank deep inside of her. She was tight, hot, and so fucking wet, her pussy enveloping me in a vise-like grip.

"The whole world should know you're mine, baby," I rumbled in her ear, pulling out and pushing roughly back in. "Just as I belong to you, Bella. You know that, right?" I asked her, suckling at the soft, now sweaty skin of her shoulder as a breathy, "Yes," fogged up the glass in front of her.

I could feel every inch of her back against my chest, skin brushing skin. Holding one hand in place, my other explored everywhere: her breasts, tweaking each nipple; her stomach, feeling the muscles contract with each heavy thrust I gave her; and finally, her mound, skirting over soft, trimmed curls to find her clit sensitive, swollen, and aching.

"You want to still be able to feel my cock two and half weeks from now when I come home, don't you, beautiful?"

"Oh, God, yes," she panted.

"You want the ache to still be there..."

"Edward, I'm... Fuck, yes..."

Pulling back just a little, I left her pressed against the glass, holding her hip with one hand while the other worked her clit, my thrusts taking her hard.

Maybe it was because it was our last night together before I left, maybe it was because I loved her so much that my sanity had completely snapped, or maybe I just wanted the whole fucking world to know she was mine, that I was hers, but whatever it was, I came unraveled when her pussy constricted around me. Her climax hit her hard, my name bouncing loudly off the glass in front of her back to me, and it was fan-fucking-tastic.

My head fell to her shoulder, but my arms wrapped around her waist because her knees buckled. "I've got you," I panted, kissing her sweaty skin before pulling out of her and scooping her up.

We tumbled into the bed, and despite our heavy breathing and our sticky skin, I pulled her to me, wrapping myself around her.

"I think the city knows now, babe," Bella muttered against my neck as she draped herself across my chest, smiling when I chuckled.

"Good," I huffed, hitching her leg up around my thighs and patting her bottom. "Mine."

She giggled, tugging on my dog tags. "Shut it, Sarge. I own you."

I rolled over quickly, pinning her underneath me, which caused her giggle to explode into full hysterics. I kissed her neck with a loud, sloppy kiss. "So true, love. Completely and totally true."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: **hands out ShamWows** I'm pretty sure you need them. (There's a picture to go along with this chapter...but it's too racy for FFn, so it's on Facebook. ;) )**

**Yes, guys, this is their last night together, but don't panic. There is a little bit more of their time together tomorrow.**

**Big, big hugs to all of you. Have a good weekend, and we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	141. Chapter 141: Bella

**A/N #1: You alive? *whew* Ok, so more of their night. :) And time for some dessert...and an extra long chapter. :)  
**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 10:28 P.M.**

"Today is nine eleven," I mused after seeing the date on my phone before I set it back on the nightstand beside the bed. Alice had texted me to let me know she and Rose would pick me up the next day at the hotel because Edward didn't want me to have to see him off at the airport.

Edward nodded, snuggling me close after I moved back to face him. "Yes," he said solemnly. "It's hard to believe it's been nine years."

Rolling over to my stomach, I looked up at him with a sad smile. "You were a junior when it happened, too, right? Your mom was..."

"Sick already," he finished for me. "I was in my first period English class when I heard about it, and I immediately called her to see if she had heard."

"I was asleep when it happened," I started. "My dad came in and woke me up, telling me it looked like terrorists had attacked on U.S. soil, and he had to go into the station. Alice called just after Charlie left and said she figured he'd had to go in so she invited me to come over. We sat in front of the television for hours because they canceled school for the day. Did you guys get sent home?"

"No, we didn't get sent home, but they turned on the televisions in the rooms, and we pretty much got no work done at all." He shook his head. "I'll never forget that day. It's one of the few days that are just set in my mind, I guess."

I nodded, truly understanding what he meant.

We were quiet again then as I curled back up against him, my fingers tracing random letters on his chest and stomach and my legs tangling with his.

A few minutes later, I patted his chest and looked up at him. "I need chocolate," I stated firmly, determined to lighten the mood. Dessert was a good way to accomplish that.

"Want to go eat the mousse we never had last night?"

I shook my head. "The mousse, yes... Out there, no. Bring it in here?"

Edward's eyes darkened, and a purr-like noise erupted from deep inside him, making his chest rumble under my hand. "Mmm, dessert in bed. Even better."

I laughed when he jumped out of bed, leaned down to kiss me, and then hurried out of the room, his bare ass making me drool.

Not two minutes later, Edward was back, carrying one bowl filled with the chocolate dessert and a single spoon. I scooted up in the bed, my back against the headboard, and let the sheet fall to pool at my waist, leaving my upper body naked to his view. He stopped short of the bed, openly staring at me for a moment until my giggle broke him out of the trance he seemed to be under.

"Sorry," he said, chuckling as his cheeks turned a bit pink in the dim light of the room. "I'll never get over how gorgeous you are."

I grinned, shaking my head, but didn't comment as he slid back onto the bed. Setting the bowl down on the table beside the bed, he then reached over and grasped my hand, tugging me up and onto his lap. I straddled his thighs, wrapping my legs around him, and then scooted up until our lower halves were brushing against one another, drawing a soft groan from Edward as he leaned over to pick up the mousse.

"Sit still, or we'll never get through this dessert," he warned, his dark eyes flashing with mischief.

"Promises, promises," I teased, my words turning to a moan as he slid the first bite of the cold chocolate between my lips.

"Good?" he asked, dipping the spoon back into the bowl and bringing it up to his own mouth when I nodded. "Mm, yes, I agree."

Edward fed us each several bites, his eyes growing more and more hooded with each spoonful of the decadent dessert. I may have been playing up the moans with every bite, but I'd never admit it to him. It was too fun to tease him, using my sex noises as I ate the mousse while perched on his lap. With every moan and lick of my lips, I could feel his cock pulse, trapped between his body and mine.

"Two can play that game," he warned, swiping his finger across the spoon and scooping up a dollop of the mousse. Before I could protest – although I wasn't sure I would have... – he had painted my nipples with the smooth chocolate. Leaning down, he captured one nipple between his lips, his tongue licking off every bit there before doing the same to the other.

By the time he sat up straight, both of my nipples were hard points and tingling, and I was rocking my hips against his, seeing friction.

"Delicious," he murmured, licking his lips. Giving me a crooked grin, he picked up the spoon again.

I shook my head, and before he could question it, I dipped my finger into the bowl and painted a line of chocolate along his jaw and down his neck to the spot where it met his shoulder. His eyes darkened, and his cock twitched as I sucked my finger clean before leaning in and attaching my lips to his jaw where I'd put the first of the chocolate. Following that line with my lips, my tongue cleaned off the sweetness, lapping at his skin like a kitten with cream. When I reached the last of it, I sucked hard at the skin, feeling him jerk underneath me as my teeth scraped across it, leaving my mark on him.

"Fuck..." he groaned, drawing the word out to multiple syllables.

When I pulled away, grinning and licking my lips, the smirk on his face grew.

"What?" I asked innocently, teasing him. "You started it." I looked pointedly down at my chest.

He chuckled darkly. "That I did...and now I'm going to finish it..."

Before I could guess what he meant, he set the bowl down beside him on the table and then turned back to me. Tangling his fingers in my hair, he captured my lips with his, coaxing my lips apart with his tongue. He tasted like chocolate, the alcohol we'd had with dinner, and the taste that was uniquely Edward. We kissed like that for several long minutes, his cock sliding between my lower lips, hitting my clit with every thrust of his hips.

I was moments from orgasm when Edward pulled away, sliding his hands to my hips and then almost dumping me backwards on the bed. I laughed when I realized his eyes were glued to my breasts again as they bounced with the movement.

Shaking himself out of it, he grinned shamelessly and then turned to swipe two fingers through the mousse. "This tastes good, but I know what will make it taste even better..."

Turning back to me, he traced each hip bone with his chocolatey fingers, curving down to my lower lips, which he parted with his other hand, leaving the last of the dessert around my entrance and up around my still-sensitive clit.

The difference in the cool dessert and his warm breath as it ghosted over me when he lay down between my legs was startling and sent shivers throughout my body. I gasped aloud as he leaned in to lick and nibble his way from one hip to the other, skipping where I wanted him the most.

"Mm, sweet," he purred, pressing a kiss to my inner thigh.

His eyes glued to mine, he dipped his head again and licked from the bottom of my slit to the top, swirling around my clit but not touching it. My hips jerked, needing more, but Edward placed a hand on my stomach, fingers sweeping across the sensitive skin above my bikini line, holding me in place. He sucked each of my lower lips into his mouth, nibbling and licking until I was writhing underneath him.

"Edward, please!" I gasped, fisting the sheets under my hands until I could feel my nails biting into my palms through the fabric.

Edward pulled back and looked up at me, licking his lips. "Oh, my sexy, beautiful girl... What have I told you about begging?"

Before I could answer, he lowered his head once more and sucked my clit in his mouth, sliding two fingers deep inside me and curling them to stroke the perfect spot inside me. I shattered around him, bucking my hips into his face as I came hard. I cried out, his name falling from my lips as if in prayer.

When I finally surfaced from the haze of my orgasm, Edward was reclined beside me, head propped on one arm. His other hand was on his cock, slowly stroking. He was hard, and I could see a drop of precum leaking from the tip.

"Yum," I said more to myself than to Edward, licking my lips. "My turn."

I grinned at Edward's lust-filled expression and quickly moved to the head of the bed, picking up the bowl with the last bit of chocolate mousse. As he turned to his back, cocky smirk in place, I gathered the dessert on my fingers. Crawling on my knees back over between Edward's legs, I watched as his breathing quickened, and he bit his lower lip, moving his hand from his cock to his side.

He was standing tall and proud, the vein running along the underside nearly pulsing with how hard he was. Like everything about Edward, his cock was beautiful, which wasn't something every man could honestly say. But he truly was – long, thick, straight, the same light pink color as his skin until the darker, flared head...and the feel of him was velvet-covered steel. He was perfect...and he was mine.

Unable to wait another second, I covered him with the mousse, making him groan, and then lowered my mouth over him. Up and down, I used my lips and tongue to taste him, cleaning the sweet dessert from every inch, tasting the musky drops leaking steadily from him along with the chocolate.

"Christ, Isabella," Edward groaned, one hand moving to his chest and sweeping down, curling into a fist at his stomach. "Fuck, love... You're killing me. You feel so good. Too good."

I hummed around him, drawing a strangled groan from him before he sat up, effectively pulling me off his cock. "Edward..." I complained, looking down at him greedily.

Edward stood from the bed and took my hand, waiting until I'd scrambled to my feet before speaking. "As much as I love your mouth—" he traced my lips, grinning when I nipped at the tip of his finger "—I'd much rather finish inside you. And I don't know about you, but I'm a little sticky..."

It was like a light bulb went off over my head. "Oh! Ohh..." Rising to my tiptoes, I kissed him quickly and nodded. "I am a little chocolatey," I said with a laugh before reaching between us and wrapping my fingers around him. "And so are you... Lead on, Sarge," I teased.

"You first," Edward said with a waggle of his eyebrows. "I like the view..."

I laughed and stepped around him, putting an extra wiggle in my hips as I made my way to the large bathroom. There was no door on the shower in this suite. It was separated by a doorway. I turned the lights on low and moved into the huge shower with stone walls and floor.

With a sexy growl, Edward stepped in behind me, guiding us out of the way of the water from the rainfall shower head as he fiddled with the knobs, getting the temp of the water just right. When he deemed it correct, he stepped back into the spray, pulling me with him.

As the water cascaded around us, I tipped my head back, looking out the skylights in the ceiling at the starry night. I only looked back when I heard the click of a lid to a plastic bottle. Edward had grabbed the body wash from the shelf and was pouring himself a handful before he handed me the bottle.

"Clean first, and then... Then we can finish what we started," he huffed, shaking his head with a naughty grin on his face.

I laughed and poured some of the body wash into my hand before setting it back on the shelf. When I turned back to face Edward, I was met with his hands as they settled onto my breasts.

"Very dirty," he teased. "Must clean them thoroughly."

"Mmm, yes, very dirty," I agreed, arching into his touch.

Once he was assured that my chest was clean and my nipples were hard points under his hands, he moved to clean the chocolate from between my legs. Carefully, he cleaned my hips, thighs, and the outside of my lower lips. By the time he finished, I was damn near humping his hand, I was so worked up again.

"I want you," I panted, feeling his finger slide over the top of my mound before moving up and teasing my stomach just above my bikini line, where I was so sensitive.

I reached out and wrapped my soapy hand around his cock, which was still hard and ready. Stroking him, I stayed away from the head, sliding my hand all the way down to cup his balls and roll them around in my palm before moving back up, squeezing gently.

"That's enough," Edward told me, reaching down to stop my hand.

He stepped back into the water and let it rinse all the soap from his body before tugging me under the spray with him and helping to rinse all the suds from everywhere. When we were clean, he pulled me to him until we were chest to chest, hip to hip, toe to toe. The water rained down over us as wrapped his arms around me, one hand splayed between my shoulders and the other cupping my ass as he lowered his head to kiss me hungrily.

Needing to breath, I broke the kiss, the air in the shower feeling hot and heavy. Turning, I took a few steps until I reached the wall. I bent slightly, placing my hands flat on the stone, and looked over my shoulder.

"Fuck me, Sarge," I said in my most commanding tone of voice. Seeing him reach down to stroke himself once broke my stern facade. "Please, Edward..."

He took two steps forward, placed one hand on my lower back to press me forward more, and used the other to guide himself to my entrance. With a groan from both of us, he slid slowly inside until our thighs were touching and he was completely inside me.

"God, yes," I whimpered, feeling my insides flutter. He felt so good at this angle, I knew I wouldn't last. I could feel him brush my g-spot as he pulled back and thrust back in.

"You're so tight this way," he hissed out between gritted teeth. "You have to come again, Isabella. I'm not going to last long... Hold on."

He leaned forward, bracing himself on the wall with his hands beside mine, and began thrusting hard.

I felt every inch of him this way as my pussy gripped him. With every thrust, every brush of his cock against that spot inside me, I felt myself inching closer and closer to the edge. When he moved one hand down to where we were joined and rolled my clit between his thumb and forefinger, I flew over the precipice, my cries echoing in the enclosed space.

"Oh fuck!" I gasped out, jolting and feeling my body squeeze around him when he slammed into me once more, a string of curse words falling from his lips as he orgasmed, shooting rope after rope of hot come inside me.

We were both breathing heavily for what felt like hours, but I knew it was only minutes later that he finally pulled out of me, guiding us back under the still-warm spray. We were quiet as he tenderly cleaned between my legs, washing away the evidence of our joining.

When he'd cleaned himself, Edward turned off the water. Then he grabbed one of the towels from the shelf outside the shower and wrapped it around his waist, pulling a second one down for me. I took it from him, tucked it around my body as best I could, and then squeezed as much of the water from my hair as I could. With a soft smile and a sweet kiss, Edward took my hand led me out of the shower and back to the bedroom.

"Go ahead and get under the covers, sweetheart," he murmured, picking up the bowl and spoon from our dessert. "I'm going to take this to the other room and turn off the lights. I'll be right back to join you." He kissed me softly and pointed to the bed behind me.

I nodded. "'Kay," I said, suddenly feeling exhausted.

I was barely awake a couple of minutes later when I felt the bed dip and then Edward's body wrap around me from behind, pulling me to his chest.

"Love you," I mumbled, shifting to put my head on his bicep.

His soft chuckle ghosted across my bare shoulder. "Love you, too, beautiful."

I was asleep before I had time to think of anything else.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Mmm, chocolatey fun! ;) He's so delicious, with or without chocolate!**

**Now, slight tissue warning with next chapter, so leave us some love, and then grab a Kleenex before you go. ;) *mwah* – Jenny**


	142. Chapter 142: Edward

**A/N #1: I suppose in some way this needs a TISSUE WARNING, but I tried to keep it easy on you. Keep in mind there's only two and a half weeks left now. Okay?**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Sunday, September 12, 2010 at 8:14 A.M.**

"Bella," I sang, pressing kisses to the back of her head.

"No, no, no," she protested into her pillow, reaching down to pull the covers over our heads. "We're not awake. If we're awake then that means you're leaving today."

"Oh, sweet girl," I chuckled and groaned at the same time, rolling her over to face me, though I left the covers over us. "It's just two and a half weeks, baby. We've so got this," I whispered, brushing her hair from her face. "This is _nothing_ compared to how long we've gone before."

"I know," she sighed, a small smile just barely curling the corners of her mouth as she traced every inch of my face. "I'm just ready to keep you."

Grinning, I said, "Trust me, I'm ready to be kept." I dropped kisses to her forehead, the tip of her nose, and each cheek, finally pressing my lips to hers. "I can't wait to come home, love. I can't wait to see how long it takes for me to drive you crazy."

She giggled, rolling her eyes.

"No, I'm serious," I laughed, dragging my fingertips up and down her spine. "You have no idea... I might squeeze the toothpaste from the middle, I might drink straight out of the milk jug, or I might leave my clothes all over the house. You don't know."

Bella laughed, her head falling back. "Do you?"

"I'm not telling you," I huffed dramatically. "You'll have to wait and see."

"Edward," she chuckled. "I don't care about those things."

"Ah, you say that now, but just wait," I told her. "Maybe I have bad aim in the bathroom."

"You do _not_ have bad aim!" she said, cracking the fuck up.

"Not that _you've_ seen," I countered, kissing her exposed neck. "I've been working extra hard at it when I'm around you."

"Edward, shut up!" she finally laughed, wrapping her arms around me. "Just shut up..."

"Come on, beautiful," I crooned, nuzzling her neck. "I still have a birthday present for you, but I can't give it to you unless you let me take you to breakfast."

"Babe, you were my present," she argued, looking uncomfortable. "You coming here was more than enough."

"Hardly," I scoffed, popping the side of her thigh and tugging the covers down. "Up, Miss Swan. I don't want to waste a single minute I have with you before I need to leave. Okay?"

"'Kay," she sighed, leaning to press a kiss to my lips. "I love you."

"Love you, too, sweet girl," I sighed contentedly. "Shower with me." I didn't give her a chance to answer; I got up from the bed, yanking the covers all the way down to the floor. "Now, Isabella," I ordered, grabbing her by the ankle.

Her squeal into laughter made me smile, but I didn't stop. Bending down to pick her up and toss her over my shoulder, I carried her into the bathroom.

~oooOOOooo~

There were endless ways I wanted to spoil my girl; coming to Seattle for her birthday was just a small fraction of proof. I could've thrown a party, but I knew she would've been upset that Em and Jazz weren't there. I could've bought a giant ass cake, but shit, she baked better than any fucking bakery, so what was the point? Flowers, streamers, clowns, singing telegrams – it would all have been too much...yet not enough.

"Can I help you, sir?" the hostess asked as I glanced over my shoulder.

I was supposed to be using the restroom in the dining room downstairs at the hotel, not on some super-secret mission. Luckily, Bella was sitting in the far corner.

"I need one single birthday candle. Please tell me you have one," I begged her, trying not to notice that my uniform was drawing attention.

"I can do better than that," she chuckled. "We can have the waiters come out with a cake and sing."

"Oh, no. She'd kill me," I laughed, shaking my head. "Just a candle, if you have one."

The hostess, whose name tag said her name was Amber, grinned and nodded. "Give me a second. I'm sure we do." She came back a minute later carrying a single pink candle and a book of matches. "If no cake, then..." she started to question with a laugh.

"No, that's the easy part," I assured the girl, gesturing to the brunch buffet line. "Thank you."

"Lucky girl," Amber stated, peering around the dining room.

"I'm the lucky one," I told her, spinning on my heel to quickly grab a dessert plate and one single oatmeal raisin cookie.

Bella was staring out over the water view when I came back to the table. I set the plate with the candle and cookie down in front of her, along with the small box containing her present.

"Happy birthday, Bella," I said softly, sitting down beside her.

"Edward," she chuckled softly, glancing back and forth between me and the cookie. "Fitting, babe."

"I thought so." I huffed dramatically. "It's probably nowhere near as good as yours, but I liked the symbolism," I explained, grinning when she laughed again. "Make a wish, sweet girl."

If it were me, I'd be wishing that the next two and a half weeks flew by. Judging by the look on her face just before she blew out the candle, I was pretty sure her wish was the same.

"Anything in a box this small is usually too much," Bella scolded, eying me shrewdly.

"Nonsense," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Just open it."

Bella cracked the black velvet box, revealing a fragile chain with a pendant. "Oh, babe, that's beautiful."

"They call it a journey pendant," I told her in a whisper against her temple. "It's supposed to represent several steps in a relationship. It seemed fitting. We've been through a lot, but we've still got a lifetime to go..."

"I love it. Thank you," she breathed, kissing my lips quickly before looking back down at the necklace.

"Now," I said, turning her face to mine with my fingertips under her chin, "I know that between now and when I come home, you'll probably wear my dog tags, but after...maybe this instead?"

She was already nodding before I finished my question. "Yes, definitely." Bella's phone vibrated on the table, and she glanced at it. "The girls are on their way," she stated, her voice subdued but wavering.

I nodded, swallowing thickly. "Okay, well, let's get out of here. We'll grab our things and meet them at the front."

The elevator ride up was silent, Bella leaning into me, her face buried in my neck and my arms all the way around her. I noticed that this time, there was no panicked feel to my leaving like there had been in Tampa, just a simple unwillingness to stop touching, to memorize every little thing before this last separation.

The room hadn't been cleaned yet, so I held back a chuckle at just how destroyed the place was – covers twisted and discarded on the floor, towels dropped by the bed, a shirt here, a pair of underwear there. It was insane.

"Wow, we're slobs," Bella chuckled softly.

"It's good to know that now," I muttered, shrugging a shoulder.

"Yeah, something to work on when you get home," she stated, wearing a silly, sweet grin.

"Absolutely," I snickered. "Come on. Let's pack, love."

It actually didn't take but a few minutes to get our things together; it wasn't like we'd worn a lot of clothes when in the room. Though, I made sure to send her with two of my shirts that I'd worn over the weekend just so she'd have them. Once all our bags were stacked by the door, I sat down on the edge of the bed.

"C'mere," I told her, pulling her to stand between my legs, but she opted to sit on my lap, my dog tags in her hands. I took them from her, putting them on over her head and pulling her hair back out. "This is it, Bella," I whispered, my own fingers playing with the tags. "There's no going back after this. Next time, it's permanent."

"I'm holding your piano hostage," she said with a grin as she ran her fingers through my hair. "This is the last time I can bear to give you up. I can't wait for permanent."

Chuckling once, I nodded. "Good," I sighed, pulling her closer by the chain around her neck. Her forehead fell to mine, her hair falling around us just a bit. "This last stretch will be over soon, love. I promise. Can you hang in there for me?"

She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'll miss you anyway. I can't help that, Edward."

"I know, baby. Me, too," I admitted, my eyes locking with warm, watery brown.

Finally giving in, I kissed her. Hard. My hands threaded into her hair, hating the thought of letting her go, of not seeing her, but the end would be so fucking worth it. I kissed her with long, slow sweeps of my tongue, trying to memorize the taste of her...with deep inhales against her cheek just to take in as much of her beautiful scent of her that I could. I needed to hold on to the feel of her hands in my hair, the weight of her on my lap, and the sweet whimpers that pushed out against my skin. I needed it because despite the fact that it was only two and a half weeks, it was going to be a fucking _long_ two and a half weeks.

We pulled apart when both our phones alerted – mine signaling that I needed to head to the airport, hers letting us know that the girls were most likely downstairs waiting for her.

"I love you...so fucking much," I huffed, cupping both sides of her face. "Do you hear me, Miss Swan?"

She nodded, sniffling a bit. "Love you, too."

I sighed, thinking she was more and more beautiful every time I looked at her, whether she was laughing, pensive...or like now, crying. "Don't cry, love. This is nothing, remember?"

She nodded, leaning into my hands as I gently wiped away her tears. "Call me when you land?" she asked, finally standing up from my lap.

"Definitely," I vowed, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and picking up our bags by the door. "And tomorrow on your real birthday, too...and every day up until I leave."

"And email, text..."

"Carrier pigeon." We both laughed at the same time.

When we made it downstairs, I sighed a breath of relief at the sight of Rose and Alice waiting in the lobby. I knew that as soon as I left, my girl would truly lose it, that she was merely holding onto her composure for me. I hugged them both, unable to let go of Bella's hand for the moment, thanking them for their help. From the looks on their faces, they knew they were in for a bit of girl time. However, Alice offered to have the valet grab my rental car for me.

Turning to Bella, I cupped her face. "No tears, sweet girl," I whispered, kissing her forehead. "It hurts to see you cry. This is the last time. Right?"

She nodded, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Say it, Bella. Say it, and mean it," I ordered gently.

"Last time," she said, finally cracking a smile.

I grinned, wrapping my arms all the way around her, and hugged her tight. "Good girl."

With a few more murmured "I'll miss yous" and "I love yous," I finally set her back down.

I pressed a kiss to her forehead, whispering, "Prepare yourself, Isabella. Bad aim...I'm telling you..."

Her snort turned into the most adorable sniffly laugh ever. "Shut it, Edward. Just...call me when you land."

My "Yes, ma'am" coming out on a chuckle, I kissed her lips quickly and picked my bags back up, separating myself from her for what I knew would be the very last time.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Yup, this will be the very last time we separate these two. I promise. :)**

**I want to thank the ladies in Sarge's Girls on FB. You guys truly make me laugh, think, and gape at some damn hot pics. Thank you. You honestly have no idea how much I live for it. :D**

**Okay, see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	143. Chapter 143: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys for all the love! Their goodbye was sad, but definitely better than the one when Bella & the girls left Tampa, huh? :) It's only a few weeks until the boys are home for good, so let's see what's in the works for that time, shall we?**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Sunday, September 12, 2010 at 1:36 P.M.**

"Yeah, we totally have to do the underground tour when the guys get back," I told Alice and Rose before picking up my Coke and taking a sip from the straw. We'd gone back to my house to drop off my stuff and let me change clothes before heading to one of our favorite cafes so they could eat lunch. The drink was all I'd ordered since I'd had brunch with Edward before he left for the airport.

"Sounds fun," Rose said, shrugging.

Alice looked a bit creeped out, though. "It's all underground? You don't get all dirty or run into spiders, do you?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Nah, it's not like you go crawling around in a regular cave or anything, Ali."

My phone dinged, signaling that I had a new text message. I pulled it from my pocket and smiled.

_E: I just boarded the plane and wanted to text you before I turned off my phone. Thank you for an amazing weekend, sweet girl. I love you._

Unsure if he'd get it before he landed in Tampa, I went ahead and clicked reply.

_B: Have a safe flight, babe. And Edward? Thank YOU for one of the best weekends of my life, truly. It was by far my best birthday ever. Call when you land. xoxo_

Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I looked up and grinned. "Edward's on the plane."

"So you guys actually got out of the hotel all day Saturday?" Rose shook her head, smirking. "I thought for sure you wouldn't surface from the room at all."

I laughed. "He was determined to go out and do some sightseeing. Besides, I think if we'd done much more _in_ the room, I wouldn't have been able to walk today."

Alice grinned. "Lucky woman," she teased, winking. "I plan to ride Jazzy like a cowboy for days once they get home. I know I won't be able to walk after, but it'll be worth it."

Nodding her agreement, Rose said, "Alice and I have already put in for that Monday and Tuesday off. Franklin is going to cover my class like he always does when I'm gone." Guy Franklin was the auto shop teacher who retired before Rose got the job, and he liked to come back and help out when Rose was sick or had to be gone for one reason or another. They had a great affection for one another – the older man was more than a mentor for her; he was like a father figure.

"Yup," Alice said. "They're going to get a substitute for me, too. Did you request that like we told you to?"

Last week, they'd mentioned doing that again this time. It wasn't the first time they'd done it, because they took a couple of days off every time the guys came home after a tour. But this was the first time I'd have a reason to do it with them.

"Hell yes," I told them, grinning. "Shelly didn't even blink when I stopped by the office the other day. She just said she'd had a feeling I would be coming in since Alice had already been there."

Alice finished her last bite of lunch and sat back against the booth. "How are things going with the wedding planning, by the way?"

I shrugged. "Fine, apparently. Leah should have come up this weekend to try the dress on and make sure it works for her. Sue may have emailed to let me know already. I haven't checked since Friday."

"We're still planning to go down the Thursday before the wedding, right?" Rose handed her credit card to the server and smiled before turning back to me to wait for the answer.

"Yeah, I think so... I've already told the school I'll be off that Friday for my dad's wedding."

"Monday's an in-service day," Alice reminded us. "So they don't have to get a substitute for it. I'll let them know tomorrow about that Friday." She smirked. "Are you ready for Charlie to meet Edward?"

Sighing, I nodded. "I'm so ready," I told them honestly. "He's going to love Edward. I know he already likes him, so when he sees firsthand how much Edward loves me, he'll be happy."

When the server brought back Rose's card, she promptly signed the slip, and we all slid from the booth.

"Shopping?" Alice asked, looking at both of us.

"Sure." Rose smiled and shrugged. "I want to get some new jeans and sneakers."

I laughed, nodding. "I want to stop at Victoria's Secret, too. I want to surprise Edward the next time we Skype."

"Ooh!" Alice nodded. "Good idea. I'll do that, too." At my raised eyebrow, she shoved my shoulder and pushed me out the door of the cafe. "With Jasper, silly woman. Not Edward!"

Laughing, the three of us piled into my car, and once we were all buckled in, I pulled out of the parking lot, heading to the mall.

~oooOOOooo~

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 8:14 P.M.  
Date Received: Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 11:14 P.M.  
Subject: Fun day with the girls

Hey, babe!

You won't get this until you get home, I know, but I was sitting here in front of the TV and realized I wanted you to have something when you got there.

I had a pretty good day with the girls. We dropped by the house first thing so I could change clothes, and then I drove us all to our favorite little place for lunch. I was still full from brunch with you, so I just had something to drink while they ate and we talked. Alice said her parents got off to Haiti fine. I'd said my goodbyes over the phone last week because they weren't sure yet of the day they were flying out, so I didn't miss going to the airport with them Saturday morning. They'll let Alice know when they get there, and I made her promise to tell me after she hears from them. She's not too scared, but I know she's a little worried. Thank goodness it's not long now until you guys get home. That'll help a lot. :)

Anyway, after they ate, we went shopping (I spent way too much money at Victoria's Secret, thank you very much... ;) ), and then I made us chicken enchiladas for dinner. They just left about an hour ago. I went over the few things Alice had marked on the kids' papers; I give partial credit if they do everything right and just miss one little step, and Alice knew that. So she marked the ones she thought qualified. Then I sat down to watch a new show called Nikita that started Friday. It's based on the movie and basically is a remake of the TV show La Femme Nikita. It looks good. (It's got Shane West, who was on Once and Again and ER and in one of my favorite sad movies of all time, A Walk to Remember...so it has to be good. ;) )

I know I thanked you already for coming up, but I just had to say it again. When I saw you standing at my classroom door, I honestly thought I was going to faint. Speechless doesn't even begin to cover it. When Ryan mentioned that the Army was at my door, I very nearly got whiplash looking over to you as fast as I did. It was like for that single moment, time stopped. Nothing existed but you and me. And then to see you interacting with the kids like you did? Just kill me now. It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen. If we do decide to have kids, you're going to make an amazing father, Sarge. Truly.

Oh! I wanted to ask you... You're going to ship most of your stuff home that last week you're there, right? No reason to try to pack luggage for the plane except for one bag and your laptop. *shrug* If you do plan to do that, just let me know when to expect it so I can keep an eye out.

All right, I'd better go. Your plane should be landing soon. I'm going to make some tea. It was a long weekend, so I have a feeling I'm going to go to sleep not long after we talk! ;)

I love you, Edward.

Yours always,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Monday, September 13, 2010 at 12:08 A.M.**

The ringing of my cell phone jolted me out of sleep, and I scrambled for it while trying to wake up. Edward had texted a few hours before to let me know he was stuck in Atlanta because of a mechanical problem so he'd be late.

"'Lo?" I mumbled, squinting at the clock to see that it was just after midnight.

There was a sigh, and then Edward's sweet voice said, "Hey, sweetheart. I'm here. Finally."

Yawning, I settled back under the blanket. "I'm glad you got home safely."

"Not home," he corrected. "Not yet. But not long."

I had to smile at that. "Yeah. Not long. Did you take a cab to the house?"

I heard him yawn and realized it was after three in the morning there.

"Nope, Jasper was waiting for me when I landed. He'd called to find out if the flight was on time or not and then came when he heard we'd finally taken off in Atlanta."

When he yawned again, I laughed softly. "Go to bed, Sarge. Get some sleep."

"Mmhm, I'm definitely heading there now," he said, slurring his words slightly. "Happy birthday, Bella. I'll call you after you're out of school, okay?"

"Thanks, babe. That'd be good. But get some sleep after work if you need it. We can talk after that."

"'Kay. Love you." He yawned again, making me giggle.

"Love you, too," I told him, smiling to myself. "Good night, Edward."

Edward chuckled. "Good night, love."

When I heard the sound of him disconnecting, I hit the button to hang up my end of the call and set the phone back on the bedside table. I knew I'd be asleep again within minutes, but for a moment, I just lay there, sad that I was alone but happy that Edward had called and that in less than three weeks, he would be here with me.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Aww, he was the first to say happy birthday on her actual birthday. Sarge is so sweet! :)**

**I promise, things will be kind of flying from here until the day they come home. In fact, there's not much time at all, chapter-wise. I won't tell you an exact number, but it's closer than you guys think. ;)**

**Now, leave us some love, and then go see what Sarge is up to. :) *mwah* – Jenny**


	144. Chapter 144: Edward

**A/N #1: Once again, our sweet couple goes back to what they do best...communicating any way they can. :) Also, note that time will jump here and there. See you at the bottom...**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Wed, Sept 15, 2010 at 7:26 A.M.  
Date Received: Wed, Sept 15, 2010 at 4:26 A.M.  
Subject: One of those days...

Hey beautiful,

Yesterday was a Murphy's Law kinda day. :( If it _could_ go wrong, then it most likely _did_ go wrong. It started by dropping my coffee mug on the kitchen floor first thing in the morning, then a nick while shaving – you would've thought I'd slit my throat with as much as I bled – and then finally, one of my recruits got himself hurt on the obstacle course. Thankfully, he only sprained his ankle, so he'll be up and running in no time. Oh, not to mention Emmett busted one of his controllers for his Xbox, which resulted in language I've never even heard...and that's saying something, because I'm in the damn Army. We aren't exact mild-mannered. Last but not least...it rained cats and dogs yesterday, so the whole driveway was covered in fallen branches – including the tops of our cars. The rental company will be thrilled. O_o

I'm so sorry I didn't email sooner. After talking to you on your birthday (I'm glad the girls took you out to dinner), I finally caught up on most of my sleep from traveling on Sunday. And then there was the "Tuesday we must not speak of..."

I miss you with a sickness. **sigh** It amazes me that I could become spoiled by you in just two and a half short days. :( Coming back to reality, to work, and to the two loud, nosy guys I live with that act like gossiping old women just makes me want to fly back and hide behind you. Forever. Save me! I thought I'd never hear the end of it when they caught sight of the mark on my neck left by you – thank you very much. I told Emmett to shut the fuck up. Don't hate the player, baby...hate the game! **laugh** Jealous jackasses.

The only thing getting me through is knowing that Jasper will be bringing home some boxes tonight so that we can start packing up things we don't need every day. I planned on sending a few things in the next day or so, but I'll let you know when they're on their way. We don't need stuff like dress clothes (my hot-as-hell date is in Seattle), and some of our movies, pictures, and music can be shipped now. And as much as I hate to do it, I'll probably have to ship my keyboard to you soon. :( I'll miss it the last week, but hell, I'll have all of it soon, so I'm sure I'll live.

Oh, sweet girl, I wish you could've seen your face when you saw me at your classroom door. You were so beautiful and such a sight for sore eyes. I swear to God. I can't wait for days when I can pick you up from work and take you out...or just bring you home and kiss every inch of you. And seeing you at work only reinforces my belief that I've been awfully naughty, Miss Swan...

Meeting your class was just about the scariest thing I've ever done, and I've been in a war. LOL They're very curious, fun, and not afraid to ask anything. As far as the whole father thing goes... The thought frightens the shit out of me, to be honest. To be responsible for the life of another human being worries me, but then I think about you and just how amazing you'd be... I don't know, Bella. I'm certainly not opposed to discussing it in the future. But dear God, I know she'd be beautiful...just like her mother.

I'd better go for my run and then get ready for work. I love you. I love you more than you can possibly conceive.

Always,  
Edward

P.S. By the way, Isabella... You may have had your elevator fantasy fulfilled, but I have not. **raising eyebrow at you** So keep that in mind as time ticks closer. One day, I will take you when no one's looking. I will shut the son of a bitch down and take you hard and fast before the alarm even has a chance to sound. Mark my words, beautiful.

~oooOOOooo~

**Tampa... Saturday, September 18, 2010 at 2:32 P.M.**

My phone rang as I pointed a steak knife at Emmett. I answered it even as my threat to him came rolling out of my mouth. "I said I'd fucking clean it, but you didn't have to make it worse, asshole. I should pour that shit on your bed."

Emmett merely laughed, continuing to play his video game.

"And you should be boxing the rest of those movies. I don't want to hear a fucking word if you miss the UPS guy. Not one," I snapped.

Bella's giggle echoed through the phone. "Which one this time, babe?"

"Emmett," I grumbled, walking back into the kitchen. "He thought it'd be funny to add ice cream to a blender that was already running. The shit went everywhere. But the kitchen rules are that I do the cleaning. Damn him and his milkshakes."

Bella laughed again. "I'll tell Rose he's slacking. Don't sweat it, Edward."

I huffed some noncommittal sound as I pressed the phone between my ear and shoulder in order to finish the last few dishes in the sink. "By the way... Hi, baby."

"Hi, handsome," she snickered. "So I guess I don't have to ask how your day is going."

"It was fine until I had to clean chocolate syrup from the light fixture," I sighed wearily. "It's official, love. I'm ready to trade my roommates for someone much softer, sweeter..._cleaner_." I grunted the last word through gritted teeth as I found one more blob of melted ice cream dripping slowly down the fridge door.

"Really now?" she asked sarcastically, and for the first time in two hours, I cracked a smile.

"Yes, really. You smell better than they do. You sound better. You're infinitely sexier. Yeah, really, really sexy..." I chuckled. "And you wouldn't torture me with this kitchen madness."

Bella laughed again. "Maybe, maybe not. I think we've proven that we both can be rather messy, babe. Ice cream sounds...intriguing."

The purr to her voice made my brain go all fuzzy for just a moment, and I groaned at the image she'd put there.

"Don't tease, Isabella," I huffed, smirking at her laugh as I finally threw in the towel – literally, into the kitchen sink – and walked down the hall to my room, closing the door behind me.

"Okay, okay," she giggled. "So did I hear you right? The UPS guy is coming today?"

"Yeah," I replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You should have a few boxes arrive by Wednesday at the latest. One box is movies and music, love. Feel free to crack it open...or any of them, really. Most of it is stuff you've sent me."

"You packed up all my pictures? You mean, there's no more Bella altar in your room?" she asked with a laugh.

"I kept my favorites—" I chuckled, looking up at the very first picture she'd sent me while I was in Afghanistan and the one we'd taken together when she was here "—but I have the best ones on my computer. If I'm missing you, I pull those up."

"Aw, that's sweet," she crooned, "but you don't fool me, Sarge. I know one of the piano pictures is your wallpaper."

"One?" I laughed. "Try all of them. I have it set to flip through them every fifteen minutes."

"Perv." She snorted, and I could just imagine that she was rolling those beautiful dark eyes.

"Only for you, sexy girl," I said, lowering my voice. "So, are you free all day?"

"Actually, I'm not," she sighed. "I've got tests and book reports to grade, not to mention a manuscript I need to finish by Monday. But I'll have my phone beside me."

"I love you," I sighed, "and is it pathetic that I wish I could just _be_ there with you while you do that shit?"

"No more pathetic than I wish you were here playing the piano while I did it," she countered with a laugh. "Soon, Edward. What? A week and a half now?"

"Yeah." I nodded stupidly in the phone. "Call me when you take a break. And you _will_ take a break, Miss Swan. Don't wear yourself out before I can get there to do it for you."

I grinned at the moan that echoed into my ear.

"You...are the devil," she sighed. "And I love you for it."

"Good. Call me later," I told her. "I have to go beat Emmett's ass. How attached is Rose to him, really? I mean..."

"Oh, don't kill him. Just...threaten his Xbox. That'll get him moving," she suggested with a laugh. "Hide all the games."

"Ooh, you're good, sweet girl. Thanks."

"I try, I try," she sighed haughtily. "Talk to you later. Love you."

"Bye, love."

I fell back on the bed with a groan. My patience for waiting had officially run out. I was so ready to be _home_. The rumbling of an engine in the driveway caught my attention, but it was Emmett's curse that made me sit up.

"Shit, the UPS guy is here!" he yelled.

I shook my head, mumbling to myself. "_So_ ready for a new roommate."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Poor Sarge...he's had a rough few days. :( He handled it like a champ, though.**

**One of you asked the question if my husband left on business for long periods of time... No, but I have a close friend whose does. He's usually gone for several months and then home for less. However, I have been apart from my hubs...and it sucked! So maybe that's what I'm applying here. I'm not sure. (Jenny says it all stems from when she and her husband were "dating" at the beginning. Remember her personal story? :) )**

**Okay, so Sarge is starting move his things... YAY! :D We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	145. Chapter 145: Bella

**A/N #1: We so love you guys! Your words of encouragement and love for us and this story are beyond amazing. Now, note the timestamp... :)**

**~oOo~**

From: Bella Swan  
To: EAMasen  
Date Sent: Wed, Sept 22, 2010 at 1:47 P.M.  
Date Received: Wed, Sept 22, 2010 at 4:47 P.M.  
Subject: It's here! :)

Hey, babe!

My kids are at gym right now, so I had some time. I called Miss Mary, and she said the boxes all arrived just after noon. She opened the door for the UPS guy and then stood there while he unloaded everything into the living room. She said, and I quote: "I made sure your beautiful house was safe, Isabella. I did not leave that man alone in your home. Handsome man in those cute little brown shorts! If I were sixty years younger..." (By the way, the UPS delivery man? Gotta be like 18 or 19 years old, barely any peach fuzz, and as innocent as the day he was born. She'd have chewed him up & spit him out! LOL) Anyway, I can't wait to unpack them when I get home...unless you want me to wait for you, which I'm more than willing to do! I know that I don't feel like I'm settled in somewhere unless I unpack my stuff myself. If you feel that way, I'm more than happy to wait.

I talked to my dad last night, by the way. He's looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks. We're all going to the shooting range Friday afternoon. Well, maybe not Alice and Rose... Neither of them really have any interest in shooting. Although...they might go just to ogle their husbands. *laugh* Anyway, Charlie said he'll take you guys out fishing early Saturday morning, and then that night is the "rehearsal dinner," which really just consists of him taking everyone out to the Lodge. I tried to convince him to let me cook, but he's insisting. *shrug* Anyway, be prepared. ;) I'm sure he'll grill you while he's got you stuck out on the boat!

Oh! Guess who I ran into earlier? Christopher and his foster mom. She was dropping him off at school, walking in with him so she could speak to the principal, and I happened to be coming back from the office myself. He gave me a hug and said hi before running off to his classroom. He looked so great... All smiles, filled-in cheeks, clean clothes, and a light in his eyes I'd never really seen before. Kim, his foster mom, asked if I had a minute, and since my kids go to music pretty quickly after taking roll and stuff, I told her if she could wait ten minutes or so, I would be free.

Once my kids were gone, we sat and talked. Apparently, his mother hired a lawyer. Christopher's foster dad is a patent lawyer, and he has a colleague in family law, so he recommended him. The guy is working pro bono, too, which is great since she has no money of her own to pay him. Anyway, she's filed for divorce from the son-of-a-bitch husband (who is still in jail) and is going into rehab. Unable to cope with her husband, she'd become addicted to something (Kim didn't say, and I didn't ask). Once she's clean, she wants to start having some visitation with Christopher while he's still living with Kim and Dean, in the hopes that everything will work out to have him back at home after the divorce is final and rehab is complete. Kim said they are totally up to working with her to help ensure everything goes well. Christopher is happy that his mom is taking steps to become a better mother and a happier, healthier person. He misses her.

I'm just so thankful that it's working out so well. I was so worried about him last school year. Cases like that don't always have a happy ending, and so far, this is about the best outcome possible.

I'd better go. I want to get the stuff set up for our next lesson before the kids get back.

I love you, Sarge. Let me know what you want me to do about your stuff, ok?

Yours always,  
Bella

~oooOOOooo~

**Seattle... Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 3:55 P.M.**

I sighed, finally shoving everything I needed for the evening into my bag, and then pulled my phone out. It had been a busy end to the school day, and I hadn't been able to check for anything from Edward. When I saw that I had three messages, I couldn't stop the grin that I was sure spread from ear to ear.

_E: Yes, please, sweetheart! If you want to tackle the chore of unpacking my shit, I'm certainly not going to complain. The only thing I need to feel settled when I get to Seattle is you, Bella. Everything else is just stuff._

_E: Tell Charlie I'm looking forward to it. **cringe** The guys just informed me he's going to want us up at 5am on Saturday, isn't he? Ah well. My weekends of sleeping in can start the next weekend._

_E: That's great about Christopher. His past aside, he sounds like a lucky little boy. I'll write more in an email, but I did want to tell you here how happy I am for you and for him. Love you, sweet girl. I'll talk to you tonight._

Closing my phone, I slid it into my bag, grabbed my keys, and locked my classroom door, heading home.

When I pulled into the drive, I waved at Miss Mary before going inside. Normally, I would have stopped to chat, but I was anxious to get inside, change clothes, and sit down with Edward's boxes. I'd cleared space on my entertainment center and bookshelves for his movies and books, and I planned on setting all the photos aside for him to go through and do what he wanted with him once he was here.

_In ten days._

That thought made me laugh, and I danced around the bedroom in nothing but my panties for a moment to whatever random melodies floated through my head. Finally, I pulled out a T-shirt and sleep pants, determined to just chill for the evening, and then headed out to the living room.

Edward had been right. There were four boxes, about two feet on each side, placed in two rows of two. I grabbed one of the ones on top, not quite prepared for how heavy it was, and backed up to the couch, settling the box on the floor in front of me. When I opened it using one of my keys, I wasn't surprised to see that it was packed with books and all the puzzle magazines and such I'd sent him while he was still in Afghanistan. I made quick work of those, putting all the magazines in one of the drawers of the end table and all the books on the shelf in the spare room.

The next was full of CDs and DVDs. They were easy to unload, as well, since everything went on the entertainment center under the TV and stereo.

Edward's clothes, including the suit he'd been in on our date in Tampa, were folded in the third box, along with a note.

_Bella,_

_In case you did make the decision to unpack, these are all clean. I will need to get the suit dry-cleaned since it's not going to be wrinkle-free after packing into the box, but everything else can be put away. There is one plastic bag with a couple of T-shirts in it... Those are clean, but I put them each on for a while before boxing them up so they might still smell like me. If you want to just put them away, that's fine, too, but I wanted to give you the option._

_I love you, my Bella._

_Edward_

He knew me so well... I grabbed that bag from under the note, set it to the side, and then made a few trips back and forth to the bedroom, adding Edward's clothes to my dresser and closet. Luckily my dresser was huge, so we wouldn't need to get him a separate one unless he wanted it.

That left the last box, and for the life of me, I wasn't sure what it might contain. When I opened it, I started laughing and reached over for my phone, hitting the speed dial for Edward without taking my attention from the contents.

"Let me guess," he said in lieu of a proper greeting. "You opened the box."

I giggled and nodded, even though he couldn't see me. Reaching in, I removed the new pink plastic litter box, which was filled to the brim with stuff.

"I did," I told him, pulling out the bags of kitten food and cat litter, setting them on the floor beside the couch. "What in the world did you do?"

Edward laughed, and I could hear the simply joy and happiness in his voice, letting me know he was just as excited and relieved that our time apart was ending soon.

"I didn't want any excuses about why we needed to wait to get a kitten. I think I got everything we'd need, but if you see something I didn't get, we can pick it up later."

I continued pawing through the stuff, finding all sorts of toys, a cat comb, a collar, food and water bowls, and a book on what to expect with a new kitten. He'd even thought to get a little scratching post so the cat had something to use other than our carpet and furniture.

"This is great, Edward," I promised, shaking my head at how silly he'd been.

"Good." He sighed. "We're so damn close now, I can taste it. The guys said their girls got their boxes today, too. Our house is damn empty," he laughed. "Seriously. I have the box for my keyboard ready. I'm going to send it on Monday, though, so I didn't want to put it in there yet. All that's left, really, are clothes for the week, a few books, my laptop, and bathroom stuff. Oh, and Jasper said to tell you that he sent all the stuff we'd bought for the kitchen to Alice, and you ladies can divvy it up how you see fit. We all chipped in on it, but none of us were sure what you each had at home already."

"Mk. I'll check with the girls this weekend and see."

"Good," Edward said, before sighing. "Now, tell me about unpacking all my stuff. Was there room for everything?"

I set all the kitten stuff aside and curled my legs up underneath myself, smiling as I started telling Edward about the books, movies, and other things he'd sent to me.

~oooOOOooo~

Just over an hour later, my stomach growled, letting me know it was time to wrap up the call and make dinner.

"I'd better go," I said with a sigh. "I'm hungry, if the lion in my stomach is any indication, and I still need to look over the math and English papers."

"Sounds...fun," Edward teased, making me chuckle. "I'll email you before bed. I'm going to go out and kill a few zombies or something with the guys. Love you, Bella."

"Love you, too, Sarge. Go beat their asses. They need to be humbled, I'm sure."

Edward snorted. "Every damn day," he agreed. "Good night, beautiful."

"Good night, babe."

I heard the click as Edward hung up the phone just moments before I hit End Call. Smiling, I gathered all the kitten stuff back up and moved the box to the corner, where it could stay until needed. Then I headed to the kitchen to heat up leftover chicken and rice from my dinner the night before.

One more day down... Nine to go.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Oooh, plans, plans, plans! The shooting range? Fishing? I promise you, both are fantastic. We're so looking forward to you guys reading those! LOL**

**Ok, leave some love, and then head on over to Sarge! :) – Jenny**


	146. Chapter 146: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh boy... We're down to days getting our boys home! :D Let's see how the packing continues to go. And perhaps, an update on Tanya?**

**~oOo~**

From: EAMasen  
To: Bella Swan  
Date Sent: Wed, Sept. 22, 2010 at 10:34 P.M.  
Date Received: Wed, Sept. 22, 2010 at 7:24 P.M.  
Subject: Mission accomplished!

Hi my gorgeous girl,

I officially humbled my roommates. I don't know why they want to play war games, but Call of Duty isn't much different than the shit we used to do overseas. They kept getting killed. I did not! ;) And apparently, we destroyed some poor kid from Australia, who, if my calculations were correct, should have been in bed or in school...I'm not sure which.

I'm actually looking forward to meeting your dad, sweetheart. Not so much the interrogation, but getting to know him. I have to prove myself worthy of you in his eyes; I know that much. And that's okay because if he didn't care, then I'd worry. The more Emmett describes past fishing trips, though, the more it sounds like a lot of fun, and if your dad can tolerate that chatterbox, then I know I'm halfway there! LOL

But it's the shooting range I may be looking forward to the most, Isabella. Everyone is bragging about your skills, so I can't wait to see it for myself. Emmett and Jasper are already making bets that you'll kick my ass. :) Yeah, somehow the thought doesn't bother me. The way I see it? If I'm gonna get beat, at least it'll be by a beautiful woman. Guess we'll figure out the "bad aim" situation after all. **laugh**

I'm so happy for little Christopher, baby! It seems like things are looking up for him. If his mother is making an effort, then he'll be in great shape soon enough. YOU did that, love. Don't you ever forget it. You made sure he was safe, that he had something to eat, and that he was removed from a dangerous situation. I'm proud of you, and I'm so glad that you got to see him looking happy, healthy, and able to be a little kid again. It's what I hoped happened to my mother's piano student all those years ago.

I'm glad you had room for all my things. I hate that I'm forcing all this stuff on you without being there to help. I promise you that when I get there, if there's too much shit or whatever, we'll go through it and throw out what we don't want or need. I know I still have my storage stuff to go through.

Which reminds me... I heard from Garrett. I guess Tanya's dating someone from NIU – an underwear model or some shit. How both egos fit in the same damn room...or campus, for that matter...I have no idea. But anyway, she feels the need to erase my mere existence, so she's packed up whatever I left at their home. Bella, there's no telling what she's boxed up, so I told her dad to send it after I've come home. Her mother says Tanya's still pretty pissed at me, and she wants to be rid of anything connected to me. If she's pissed, then she'll be vindictive, so I want to be careful when opening it – not because I'm hiding anything, but to explain whatever fucked up shit she may have tossed in there. I know her...she'll make a mountain out of a fucking molehill in a heartbeat. But it will officially be the last of my connection to Chicago. Something about that seems freeing. There's a weight that's been lifted, and I'm not sure how to explain it.

As time gets closer, I'm just about to crawl out of my own skin with the need to just...BE HOME. It's all I can think about most of the time. I just about got run over on base the other day because I was paying more attention to your text than where I was going. **laugh** Yes, I promise to be more careful...don't even say it. I'm just...happy, sweet girl. Though, I do have my moments of panic about screwing up, so time seems to go in these weird bursts. Sometimes, I'm freaking out, so time flies and I tick off another day on the calendar, but then there are times when I crave you, and I swear to God and all that's holy that the clocks stop fucking working.

It's official, my love. I've just lost my mind over you. I'd better get some sleep, beautiful, but I'll talk to you soon.

You have my heart always,  
Edward

~oooOOOooo~

**Tampa... Monday, September 27, 2010 7:06 P.M.**

"I'm back!" Emmett boomed from the front door. "Who's hungry?"

"I am," Jasper and I called from the living room.

We were just finishing packing up my keyboard, its stand, and the stool so that I could drop it off to be shipped in the morning. Adding the last piece of packing tape, I stacked all the boxes by the door to be loaded in my car the next day.

"What'd you get?" I asked, falling down at the kitchen table.

"Barbecue," Emmett said, handing a styrofoam box over to me.

Jasper groaned, rolling his eyes before glaring at the box like it was the devil himself. "It's official," he muttered, grimacing. "I'm completely over fast food, Chinese takeout, and pizza."

I chuckled and nodded, because our cupboards were completely and utterly bare, save for a few canned goods in the pantry. We felt that buying a major amount of groceries, aside from a few things to drink, would be a waste, but really, I think we were all ready for real, home-cooked food. In fact, we were so ready for it that it was a conversation that had lasted hours the night before. Bella's cookies, Alice's pot pie, Rose's fajitas...Bella's tuna casserole, Alice's fried chicken, Rose's spaghetti sauce... On and on it went until not a single fucking thing sounded good for dinner, and all three of us were homesick for our girls. It was really pitiful, in all honesty, but it was true.

We were at the beginning of the end, and I wasn't alone in my wish to just have it all over with and done. Our normal, everyday ramblings changed from work and recruits to Seattle and home and plans for things to do once we got there – the foremost thing being Charlie's wedding.

"I hear ya," Emmett grumbled, frowning down at his giant stack of ribs. "I guarantee Rosie will put thirty pounds on my ass the first week alone. I gotta remember to run..."

Grinning and waving a French fry at him, I said, "No shit. It was one thing eating Bella's cookies while we were in the field, but it'll be another when my ass doesn't have to get up every morning at the ass crack of dawn."

"You'll be up," Jasper countered with a chuckle and his trademark smirk. "It's just fucking habit now. And you can always run after Bellsy goes to work. Her neighborhood is pretty cool."

"There's definitely no sleeping in the day we go fishin', Sarge," Emmett laughed, pointing his plastic fork at me. "The torture for you starts early."

I groaned, much to their amusement, shaking my head. "Don't remind me."

"Aw, stop it," he chuckled. "I promise to make sure that Charlie doesn't throw you overboard for doing naughty things to his little girl...or at least that you have a life vest on if he does."

Jasper choked on his baked beans, giving a guffawing Emmett a punch to the arm. "Charlie doesn't necessarily need to be reminded of said naughty things, asshole. Don't make this shit any harder for Eddie than it needs to be." His sympathetic gaze landed on me. "Trust me, the man gave me shit for about an hour, and then he was perfectly fine. And he loves Alice like one of his own. Hell, he's known her ever since Bella moved in with him – said it was like gaining two daughters instead of one. So don't sweat it, bro. You'll be fine. He's downright mellow...a lot like Bella, really."

"Yeah, but I bet your ass'll be sleeping on the sofa downstairs, though, not all snuggled up to Bella in her room," Emmett added, grinning like the devil.

"That's fine," I sighed, shrugging. "As long as I'm actually allowed in the house..."

Jasper snorted, rolling his eyes. "Don't think that that woman he's marrying hasn't come over for a few pajama parties, if you know what I'm sayin'. Don't underestimate the Chief."

"Ew, that's like all sorts of wrong." Emmett gagged, giving him a scathing look. "Parents shouldn't do it."

I laughed so hard that barbecue sauce burned my nose.

"You weren't hatched, idiot," Jasper argued at the same time he patted my back. "Mr. and Mrs. McCarty actually had to fu—"

"Auugh! Don't say it!" he yelled, putting his hands over his ears. "I'm not listening," he sang, his eyes squeezed closed.

"Moron," Jasper murmured, looking to me. "Oh, I wanted to let you know that some of the guys want to take us out for drinks Friday night before we fly out Saturday. You cool with that?"

"Oh, yeah? Who?" I asked, popping a hush puppy into my mouth.

"Thompson and Rodriguez, but mainly Wells. He's pretty excited about it because his leg's all healed up and shit," he answered.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah, I'm in," I said because I knew that Wells was still feeling that the incident in Afghanistan was a damn close call, and he just wanted to celebrate the fact that the two of us had made it out with our lives. "Definitely. Just let me know when and where."

I ate another rib silently, thinking back to that explosion and how it had changed everything between Bella and me. She'd showed just what a beautifully strong woman she could be, and I'd dropped the last of my wall down, telling her I loved her for the first time. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I couldn't resist sending Bella a message – one that we'd been teasing each other with for days now because we were so fucking ready.

_E: I love you, my sweet, beautiful girl. Guess what?! Only 5 more days. I can't wait!_

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Oh, our poor boys are just...ready. The house is practically empty, the food doesn't compare to home cookin', and five days seems to stretch on forever.**

**Oh, and simple, selfish Tanya...it's still all about her, right? **rolls eyes****

**So the homecoming is close. Just mere days. You guys can make it. I know some of you worry that we'll end it as soon as Sarge steps through the front door, but no...not happening. There are things we want to bring full circle. :)**

**Okay, so we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	147. Chapter 147: Bella

**A/N #1: If you follow us on Twitter or are part of our FB group, you probably know what happens in today's chapters, so I'll let you get to it. Know that we appreciate all the love you guys gave us the last couple of chapters and that we adore how excited you are for this set of chapters right here. :) Ok now, scoot. Read. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, October 01, 2010 at 9:46 P.M.**

"If I have another spoonful of ice cream, I'm going to burst," Alice groaned from her spot on the couch as Rose got up to switch movies.

I nodded, rubbing my stomach. "I know. I think that last brownie did me in."

"What next?" Rose held up _The Proposal_ and _The Lake House_.

Alice and I both pointed to Rose's left hand, and she nodded, popping _The Proposal_ out of the case.

We were having our last girls' night without the boys being home—which included snack stuff like pizza rolls, taquitos, and nachos for dinner, brownies and ice cream for dessert, wine coolers, and all the Sandra Bullock movies we could stomach. We'd already watched _Miss Congeniality_—the first and second—and _Hope Floats,_ and we had three more to choose from besides the one we'd just picked.

I checked my phone again, still seeing nothing from Edward. He and the boys were out with the guys from their squad and some of the people they'd met there on base. He had said he'd call or text when he got home, and I knew they didn't plan to be out much past midnight. It was just after one in the morning there, so I expected to hear from him anytime.

While I waited, I settled in with my Pomegranate Raspberry to watch Sandra and cutie Ryan Reynolds.

~oooOOOooo~

About thirty minutes into the movie, my phone dinged, signaling a new text message. I hit pause on the remote and laughed when Alice's and Rose's phones both alerted them, too.

"Guess the boys are done with their party," Alice giggled.

Rose and I nodded before turning our attention to our phones.

_E: Never bet Emmett that you can drink him under the table..._

I snorted a laugh. Emmett weighed twice what I did and had at least fifty pounds on him. What in the world had made him think he could outdrink the man?

_B: Oh, baby... I could have told you that. The only one who can somehow keep up is Rose. *laugh* Are you home?_

As I sat waiting for his reply, Rose laughed loudly, and I knew she'd heard from Emmett what Edward had already told me.

_E: Not yet. They took our keys, baby. **frown** Jeff is driving us. I wish I was coming home to you. :(_

Giggling again, I typed back quickly.

_B: Probably for the best, Edward. You sound a bit too mellow to be sober. ;)_

_E: I'm feeling goooood, Isabella. And I want you. You know what I'd do if you were here?_

Damn... Drunk Edward was a horny Edward...and he was still three thousand miles from me.

_B: What would you do, babe?_

_E: I would kiss you...and touch you. You have such pretty pink nipples. I want to suck on them and make them hard. Would you let me do that?_

Fuck me...

_B: Mmhmm, I would. I love when you play with my nipples..._

_E: That's good. They're pretty. **nod** I want to lick your pussy. You taste better than all the shit I had to drink tonight. I'd rather be drunk on you. Mmm, just thinking of sucking your clit and tasting you makes me hard. I wish you could feel me right now._

I moaned before I could stop myself and only remembered I wasn't alone when Alice laughed.

"Eww, Bella!" She grinned when I looked over at her, my cheeks heated. "You're in the same state Edward is. Jasper just said he's feeling himself up in the truck. You'd better tell him to knock it off 'til they get home."

"Crap," I muttered, shaking my head when they giggled.

_B: Babe, wait until you get home to touch yourself. For me, please. That shit is only for me to see – not the boys. ;)_

_E: Oops. **grin** Jasper already threatened me. I just want you, baby..._

Shaking my head, I quickly replied.

_B: I know. I want you, too._

Several minutes went by without a reply. Just when I was about to suggest playing the movie, my phone dinged again.

_E: I don't feel so good, baby. :(_

_B: I bet! How many shots did you do?_

_E: 6. Emmett had 8. Fucker. He probably won't even throw up, and I feel like I'm gonna hurl all over his shoes._

_B: *laugh* Get home, take some Tylenol, drink some water, and then go to sleep. Call me in the morning when you leave for the airport, Sarge._

_E: K. Love you._

_B: Love you, too._

When my phone was silent again after a few minutes, I set it aside, shaking my head as I picked up the remote. "Six shots... Dummy."

The girls laughed as I hit play.

~oooOOOooo~

By five o'clock on Saturday, I was a bouncing ball of energy and excitement.

Edward had called about an hour before their plane took off, waking me up at the way too early time of seven in the morning. I'd tried to go back to sleep, but I'd been too excited. After tossing and turning for over an hour, I'd gotten up, thrown on some sweats, a sports bra, and a T-shirt, and gone running. I'd slacked off lately, but now that Edward was going to be here, it would be good to go with him sometimes. I usually only ran once a week, so I doubted I could keep up with him, but it might be fun to try.

Alice and Rose had gone home around midnight, and then we'd met at the spa after lunch to get pampered and primped for the boys' arrival. Now, we were putting the finishing touches on makeup and hair, following Alice's advice on what to wear – to a point.

"Alice, I'm not going to go to the airport dressed like I'm going to a fancy party," I grumbled. Stalking over to my closet, I pulled out the new dress I'd bought the last time I'd gone shopping. "This is what I'm going to wear. I agree about wearing a dress, but nothing fancy."

The one I'd picked out was short-sleeved, had a faux-wrap silhouette, and a deep vee neckline that would show off my cleavage without being slutty. It hit about two inches above my knees, so I still got to show off some leg without worrying about flashing anyone.

"Hmm, it's pretty," she said, nodding. "He'll love the color." Smiling, she shrugged. "Okay, good. You're set, then. Wear the nude pumps with it."

I laughed as she turned to Rose and started debating between the three dresses Rose had brought over with her.

An hour later, the three of us were parked at the airport in the short-term parking and walking inside. We'd agreed to meet the guys at Baggage Claim. We were almost an hour early, but none of us had been able to stand waiting any longer. My stomach was in knots as I looked at the Arrivals board to find their flight. It was listed as On Time.

Since we knew which carousel was for American Airlines, we headed down to the Alki Bakery Express, which was located a few spots down. It would be easy to keep an eye on the announcement boards from where we would be sitting. Plus, none of us had felt like eating dinner, and while I wasn't sure my stomach could handle any more coffee, I knew they had some tea I could nurse while we waited.

By the time the Arrivals Board announced Edward's flight had landed, I was pacing.

"Bells," Alice murmured, rubbing my arm. "Why are you nervous?"

Shaking my head, I huffed. "I don't know! I'm excited, too, but I guess it's because it's suddenly here. It's _real_ now. What if he gets here and decides it's too boring or isn't what he thought it would be? I'm messy. He's neat. What if he can't handle that? I know he loves me, but what if that's not enough?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Snap out of it, sweetie. That man couldn't be any more in love and any more excited to be coming here to Seattle...to you."

I couldn't help but smile at that, thinking of the countdown we'd had going between us the last couple of weeks. "He did seem as excited as I am..."

"There ya go," she said, smiling and tucking her arm through mine. "Now come on. Let's go find our men."

Alice skipped ahead of us, the skirt of her dress swishing around her as she led us to baggage carousel two. By the time we caught up, she was bouncing in place, her hands clenched together in front of her. I slid my free arm through hers, and the three of us stood waiting as a new wave of travelers began coming down the escalators.

My heart was thudding in my chest so hard that I was afraid everyone could hear it. I had to keep reminding myself to breathe and to not bite my lip, worried I would bite clean through. That would be just like me... Edward would arrive in Seattle, coming home for good, and I'd be bleeding all over myself.

I closed my eyes and took a deep, calming breath. When Alice squealed and gripped my arm tighter, my eyes flew open. It took a moment for me to see what had her so excited, but then, over the heads of the crowd, I caught sight of three tan, military-issue hats.

It was like the rest of the people around us disappeared. The crowd seemed to part, and suddenly, all I could see was Edward in his desert camo fatigues. With his trademark crooked smile, he dropped the duffel he had slung over his shoulder and opened his arms.

With a sob, I took off running, throwing myself into his arms.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Yeah... Just go on. You know you want to. ;) *mwah* – Jenny**

**(Just FYI, pics of Sea-Tac are up on FB and my site, so check our profile for links. ;) )  
**


	148. Chapter 148: Edward

**A/N #1: Not that you're listening to a thing I say at this point, but damn! Drunk and horny Sarge might be the sexiest, silliest thing. Ever. You just wanna eat him up! LOL**

**This is it, troops. ;) See Jenny and me at the bottom.**

**~oOo~**

**Somewhere over Washington... Saturday, October 02, 2010 at 6:38 P.M.**

Ding!

"_This is your captain speaking... Please fasten your seat belts as we prepare to land at Sea-Tac Airport. We will be landing on time in approximately twenty minutes. The high today is sixty-five degrees, with a low of fifty-four. It's fairly cloudy, but there's no call for rain..."_

I glanced out the window, shaking my head at the endless sea of clouds as we started to descend. It surrounded us like a fog from a horror movie. I half-expected some sort of monster to flit by. Florida had been bright, sunny, and warm when we left. Too warm, really, for October.

This was it. The last flight I'd take, the last time I'd wear the uniform as a member of the United States Army. I'd been honorably discharged, given the stripes for my tour in Afghanistan and even the Purple Heart for my injuries sustained in the blast – something that was most likely requested by my old CO, Lt. Stephens – and finally, my release papers, which were tucked somewhere deep inside my duffel.

And fucking-A, it was the last time I'd have to be away from my girl.

I thought about Chicago, my parents, and even Tanya as Seattle drew closer. I thought about the angry kid I'd been versus the man I was now. I'd hated the universe for my mother's illness, hated my father for just giving up after she was gone, and hated Tanya for her betrayal. I'd poured all that hate and anger into my job, focusing on keeping myself and my men alive, personally sealing myself off from everyone around me.

Until Bella.

The mere thought of her caused me to smile. She was my sweet, strong, beautiful girl. She made me a better man, a happier man, having suffered through it all over the last several months, from tearing down my emotional walls, to worrying about me incessantly, to loving me unconditionally – the latter being something I hadn't felt since my mother was still alive. Our relationship may have moved fast and been unconventional, but not one time did it feel wrong.

Bella had handed me family on a silver platter, giving me a sense of belonging that even the Army hadn't been able to fulfill and providing laughter, security, and people that gave a shit. Having her in my life gave me something to live for overseas, something to bust my ass for to get out of MacDill, and now something to come _home_ to.

Suddenly, the plane just needed to land. I wanted to be on the ground, out of this fucking tin can, and in her arms. And that shit wasn't happening quickly enough. My knee started bouncing, my hands twisting my cap, and my teeth working the inside of my cheek.

"You all right there, Sarge?" Emmett asked from the seat over from me. We'd left the one between us empty.

"I'm not Sarge anymore," I chuckled, shrugging a shoulder.

"Ah, bullshit," he laughed, punching my arm. "You'll always be Sarge."

Jasper snickered softly, looking up from the book in his hands from his seat across the center aisle. "It's true. We've called you that since you were promoted. It's been too long to stop now. Deal with it, pal."

Grinning, I looked back out the window. I wasn't going to argue with them.

"So you okay, or what?" Emmett surged on.

"I'm fine," I sighed. "Just...anxious, I guess."

"How's the hangover?" Jasper asked with a laugh.

I looked from him to Emmett, who had woken up just fucking peachy. "Bite me, both of you."

I was pretty sure my hangover could've been worse, but despite my inebriated state, I'd followed Bella's instructions the night before. After throwing up, I'd downed a bottle of water, taken three Tylenol, and fallen into bed. Luckily, I'd merely had a wretched headache when I'd awoken to the sound of my alarm that morning. I'd taken more Tylenol, thinking my head would explode once I was in the air, but I'd fallen asleep the second we'd leveled off.

They laughed, but all of us heard the sound of landing gear being lowered, the screech of tires touching down, and the slowing of the engines. We taxied slowly down the runway and into the terminal, and I sighed a long, deep breath of relief when the pilot finally spoke again.

"_Thank you for choosing American Airlines, and welcome to Seattle."_

~oooOOOooo~

It seemed to take a hell of a lot longer to get from the terminal to baggage claim than I remembered from the last time. It also seemed that the three of us in fatigues drew more attention, as well. We'd been stopped, thanked, and welcomed home by mere strangers and little kids to the point that I was about to lose it. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate it, but I really, _really_ needed to get my hands on Bella.

Baggage claim was already packed with the people that had been on the plane with us and those welcoming them home. Emmett and Jasper snatched our duffel bags from the conveyor belt, simply because they were all together and really hard to miss among the dark colors of civilian luggage.

Fuck, _I_ was a civilian. I really needed to remember that. I shook my head, my eyes aching to see my girl. A small crowd of young teens parted in front of me, and then I saw her, all perfect in blue with tears already in her eyes as she ran my way.

Dropping my duffel, I caught her easily and lifted her up off the ground. She smelled like heaven and home, and it felt so fucking good to have her in my arms again.

"Bella," I sighed contentedly, feeling complete for the first time in weeks. All I could think was, _Finally!_

Warm, wet tears smeared against my neck, and I cupped her face, still keeping her held close.

"Hey, let me see you," I whispered, well aware that we had a rather large audience to our reunion. "I've missed your beautiful face."

She giggled, all sniffly and cute, pulling back. "You're a sight for sore eyes, babe," she said with watery eyes and a sweet smile.

I chuckled, wiping away a few tears with my thumb and tucking her hair behind her ear. "You, too, sweet girl."

She tugged off my cap, pressing kisses to my forehead, my cheeks, and finally, my lips, all while leaning her elbows on my shoulders and grasping either side of my face.

"You're here," she stated breathlessly, running her fingers through my hair, which was longer on top, just as she'd requested it.

"Yes, love," I said, setting her on her feet but not letting an inch come between us. I kissed her lips roughly but not nearly as thoroughly as I'd have liked. "I'm home, Bella."

~oooOOOooo~

We were loud, all talking over each other and stealing kisses as we walked out to the parking garage. The girls had driven separate vehicles, knowing we'd all see each other soon enough at Bella's father's wedding. With hugs all around and promises to get together before the next weekend, I tossed my things in Bella's trunk.

The ride was comfortable, the two of us catching up from the last few weeks apart. We laughed about my drunken ass the night before, and then she told me about the girls' night they'd shared and that Tanya's box had arrived early, despite my request that she wait.

"And?" I asked, grimacing.

"I'm not opening that one. Ever, Edward." She laughed, shaking her head. "She probably sent it early so that whatever fuckery she's got in there can kill me."

Laughing, I picked up her hand and kissed each finger, unable to withstand any distance from her at the moment. "Tanya's spiteful but not exactly bomb-threat material, sweet girl."

"Whatever, babe," she laughed. "That box is all yours, and it's in the room with the rest of your unopened stuff."

"She's seeing someone. I'm just an embarrassing part of her past," I chortled.

"Embarrassing, my ass," Bella muttered, giving the residential street in front of her a dark look.

"New rule," I growled in her ear, correcting the steering wheel when she swerved just a little. "Talk of Tanya isn't allowed inside the house...at least for the rest of the night," I commanded, nipping at the soft spot behind her ear. "Your sweet _ass_, however, can be discussed _any-fucking-time_, love."

"'Kay," she groaned, elbowing me gently, "but get back over there before I hit Miss Mary's mailbox!"

My head spun toward the houses on our right as I sat up straight. Bella pulled into the driveway of a small yellow house with green trim. The trees, already starting to show their fall colors, hugged the side, low branches hanging over the front door. She'd left the lights on inside. I could see my piano in the window of the corner room of the house, and a feeling unlike anything I'd ever known settled over me.

"It's small..." Bella whispered, sounding nervous.

"It's perfect," I countered, tearing away my gaze from my new home back to the reason I was there.

She giggled, cupping my face. "It's still small, Edward," she repeated with a laugh. "Here," she said, reaching into her purse. She dropped a set of keys into my hand, pointing each one out. "Front door, back door, storage."

"And this?" I chuckled, holding up the key chain with the word "Sarge" on it. "I'm not Sarge anymore. I told the guys that..."

"Shut up," she whispered, kissing my lips. "You'll always be my Sarge."

And that closed the nickname subject immediately because I was hers, totally.

She got out of the car, and I followed her, leaving my stuff in the trunk. Stepping onto the porch was a surreal yet comforting experience because it had seemed like this moment would never get here. I'd wanted it, dreamed about it for so fucking long that I wasn't sure if I was still asleep on the plane or not.

"I'm sure Miss Mary will make herself known tomorrow, so prepare yourself for that," Bella rambled, giving the house next door a loving gaze.

"I'm sure I'll survive, baby," I chuckled, pulling out the keys, but stopped, tilting her chin up so that she would meet my gaze. "Are you ready for this?" I asked, my voice sincere, because this was a huge step in our lives together.

The smile that crawled up her stunning face was just breathtaking. "Yes," she giggled. "Open the damn door, Edward. I've wanted you here since the second you told me you loved me."

"Kiss me first, sweet girl," I said with a smirk, cupping her face.

She pressed her lips to mine in a kiss that was new, slightly nervous, and just about as sexy as I could handle standing on that front porch. Keeping her forehead pressed to mine, she turned slightly to guide my key into the lock.

Shoving the door open, she kissed me again. "Welcome home, Sarge."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2:**

**Deb: Pssst! Jen, you know we could end this right here. The end... Happily ever after... ;)  
Jen: *looks at the next handful of chapters* Yeah, they were kind of crap anyway. Whew! Glad to have this one over!  
Deb: *snort* So not crap... You know, cuz that thing...when Sarge... Well, you know what I'm talking about. *waggles eyebrows* ;) Besides, we might as well keep going. I see pitchforks and torches in our future if we don't.  
Jen: Haha Isn't that the truth! These days, it isn't very hard to find an address online. I'm afraid if we stop now, someone will definitely take advantage of that knowledge. And okay, fine...so not crap. In fact, some of my favorite chapters are coming up after this... Jake, kitten... I don't think I'm spoiling about those. ;)  
Deb: *grumbles* Jake... Blech. :( Okay, so for self-preservation and because some good shit is still ahead... I guess we'll keep going... ;)  
Jen: They should know, though, that honestly, we're heading into the home stretch of the story, truly. We are actually adding a few chapters to fill in a time gap between now and the ending, but there aren't more than 25-30 chapters AT MOST left. Probably more like 20-25. Of course, then we have the outtakes, which we haven't written, right? So... Yeah. :)**

**Guys, I know it's the home stretch on the story, but yeah, we've got some really good stuff coming your way. In fact, I agree with Jen...some of my favorite parts are coming up.**

**With that being said, we'll see you tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	149. Chapter 149: Bella

**A/N #1: He's home! He's home! *grin* So yes, go read...but just know there's a LEMON WARNING! LOL**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, October 02, 2010 at 7:52 P.M.**

I was unable to not give Edward one more kiss before literally opening the door to our future. I was so excited to have him here...to have him home...that I could barely stand it. My world narrowed down to this moment, to this man as I pressed my forehead to his and blindly reached back to move his hand to the lock on the door.

When the lock disengaged and the knob turned, I gave the door a gentle nudge and brushed my lips across the quirked up smile mere inches from my own.

"Welcome home, Sarge."

Edward broke into a grin that stretched from ear to ear. The happiness I saw written across his face took my breath away, and I couldn't help but mirror his expression as I turned in his arms and stepped into the house. One hand was on my hip as he reached back with the other. As soon as the snick of the door closing echoed through the small entry, his other hand moved to my other hip, and he stepped close, pressing his body to mine.

I took a moment to look around, trying to see the house from a fresh perspective. The entry opened straight into the living room, which I'd left lighted so we didn't come home to a dark house. It was a bit crowded, what with Edward's furniture and boxes mixed with what I'd already had. I knew the paint could use freshening up – it was a cream color, and I'd just cleaned the walls a couple of weeks before, but it hadn't been painted since I'd moved in a couple of years before. Still...it was home.

"So this is _our_ living room," I said, finally breaking the silence, emphasizing the _our_ in the description.

Edward moved up to stand beside me, keeping one arm around my waist to hold me to him. "It's just like I pictured, honestly," he said as he looked around the room. "I mean, I've seen a bit from when we Skyped, but seeing it in person is something altogether different."

He walked us over to the entertainment center, looking at the pictures in frames I had scattered around the shelves – the two of us, my friends, Charlie, Renee and Phil...and finally, the one of him and his parents that he'd sent me for safekeeping a few months before. With a single finger, he traced the frame lightly, sadness, regret, and love all flashing across his face.

"Thank you," he murmured quietly. "It means a lot to see it up here with all your important pictures."

"It's important, too, Edward," I told him honestly. "They were your family. This is your home now. You deserve to have your family here with you."

He squeezed me close, pressing a kiss to the top of my head before releasing me with a deep, shuddering breath.

After looking down at our mix of movies and music, he continued moving us around the room, taking in the other photos I had hanging on the wall, the old quilt of my grandmother's laying over the back of the couch, the books stacked haphazardly on the end table.

Finally, he ran his hand lightly over the well-worn leather of his father's old chair. I gave him the quiet he seemed to need. I had known that seeing his parents' things would bring back memories, both good and bad, and if he needed time to process it, I would give it to him. After all, he was here now; we had all the time in the world.

"It does work well here, doesn't it?" he mused softly, giving the chair one last look before turning to me. Kissing me sweetly, he murmured against my lips, "Thank you for fitting my things into your home, beautiful."

I smiled, reaching up to cup his face in my palm, stroking his cheek with my thumb. "Our home now, remember?"

He grinned, nodding. "Our home. Show me more?"

Laughing softly, I moved out of his embrace and took his hand. "Come on, then. The dining room is through this archway."

Edward gripped my hand as we stepped into the crowded dining room, with its light green and white walls, dark wood table, and chairs wrapped in matching green slipcovers. I loved this room simply because of the paint color, but with Edward's father's desk, it was definitely cramped.

"This is _our_ dining room," I said, even though it was really unnecessary.

He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, definitely have to find somewhere else for that desk. If nothing else, we can get a small storage unit for it."

He led me over to it, running his free hand over the top much like he had the chair.

"Irina said she remembered me sitting behind it, pretending to be him..." Scrubbing his face with his hand, Edward sighed. "I didn't remember that until just now – actually doing that, I mean. I remember sitting in his big chair when I was small enough that my feet dangled at least four or five inches off the floor. I would swing them back and forth as I pretended to give a speech." He chuckled, shaking his head. "That's what I thought he did...give speeches. I would sit on one of the other chairs in his office while he practiced his closing arguments, so at the time, that was all his job entailed in my mind.

"One day, before he came home from work, I wanted to pretend like I was a big man giving speeches. So I climbed up into the chair and was babbling – arguing about cleaning my room or eating my peas at dinner or something, I'm sure – when he came through the door. I remember starting to get up, and he shook his head and told me to continue as he went and sat down on the other side of the desk, where I usually sat to watch him. He listened to me until I finally ran out of steam." Edward patted the desk once and then turned back to me. "That's my earliest memory of my father. I can't believe I remember it. I had to have been about four."

My eyes felt suspiciously damp, and I reached up to swipe at them before the tears could fall, but Edward beat me to it, using his free hand to brush them as they leaked out and wet my cheeks. I turned my face and pressed my cheek to his palm, enjoying the warmth and weight of it against my face.

"I love you," I told him, raising my eyes to meet his. "We'll find a way to keep this here. We need a desk anyway. I don't want it to go into storage."

Edward dropped my hand and reached up to cup my face as he lowered his head to meet mine. "Love you, too, sweet girl. Thank you."

Before I could tell him no thanks were necessary, he brushed my lips once, twice, finally claiming them in a heated kiss that took over all my senses. I felt his uniform shirt, rough beneath my fingers, as I slid my hands up his chest to his shoulders. His breath was warm and tasted sweet, like peppermint, as he parted my lips with his tongue. We both groaned as he angled my head to take the kiss deeper.

When we finally pulled apart to breathe, he didn't go far. With his forehead pressed to mine, he chuckled, the little puffs of air mingling with my own. "Show me the rest of the house, Isabella, or the rest of the tour will have to wait until tomorrow...or next week," he finished with a smirk.

I grinned and then kissed his lightly once before pulling away and taking his hand. "You'll like the next room..."

The kitchen was the main reason I'd picked this house when trying to find someplace to live. The house itself was slightly older than I'd liked, but the couple who owned the place and lived here before having to move when their family outgrew it had recently remodeled the kitchen. The cabinets were a light wood, the appliances were stainless steel, and the counters were all a dark granite. There was a large island, which housed the sink and gave me plenty of room when I was baking.

Sitting on the island was the gift I'd bought for Edward. I'd searched for weeks to find the perfect housewarming present.

"_Our_ kitchen," I announced, again stressing the _our_.

"This is great, Bella," Edward said, looking around the kitchen. "I love the bar stools at the island." Pointing to the piano on the counter, he asked in an amused tone of voice, "Why in the world do you have a piano in the kitchen?"

Laughing, I said, "It's less than a foot long and only five inches deep, babe. It's not like I put your baby grand in my kitchen." Bumping his shoulder with mine, I told him, "Check it out. Press the middle key."

When he carefully hit middle C, the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony sounded, and the lid of the grand piano popped open, revealing the cookies I'd made after I couldn't fall back asleep early this morning.

"Oh my fucking hell..." Edward growled softly, reaching out and snagging one of the peanut butter on top. "Where in the world did you get that?" Before I could answer, he popped the entire cookie in his mouth, moaning as he chewed.

I laughed again at adorable boyishness and answered, "From a company online. It's based in China, so I almost didn't buy it, but I couldn't find anything locally, so..."

He shook his head, even as he reached in and pulled out a snickerdoodle. "Fuck, I'm going to have to run an extra mile every day, or I'll outgrow all my pants," he laughed, popping the cookie into his mouth.

When he kissed me again, his lips were sweet and sugary, a few stray crumbs ending up on my mouth instead of his. I licked them from my lips and watched his eyes darken.

"Isabella," he groaned, and in one fell swoop, he pulled me against him, moved his hands to my waist, and picked me up, setting me on the counter.

I opened my legs, pulling him between them so he could kiss me. He slid his hands up my thighs under my dress, stopping when his thumbs brushed over the damp satin of my panties. With eyes so dark, they looked like black pools of ink, he gazed down at me, his breathing heavy.

"I want you so much," he huffed as he stroked me lightly over the fabric. "Will you come for me? Right here, right now. I want to make you come. It's been too fucking long."

Panting, I nodded, biting my bottom lip as he pushed my underwear aside and slid two fingers all the way inside me.

"Fucking hell," Edward hissed. "You're so wet, baby..."

I knew I was... I could almost hear it as he began to finger me, moving his fingers almost all the way out before thrusting them in again.

His other hand moved so his thumb was brushing my clit. When he curled the two fingers inside me and stroked over my g-spot at the same time as he lightly pinched my clit, I shattered around him.

"Oh, God!" I cried out as stars exploded behind my eyelids. I felt myself squeezing his fingers so hard that for a moment, I was worried I would hurt him, but then the pleasure overwhelmed me, and I lost track of all thought until he finally withdrew his fingers.

I was still gasping for breath as he stuck his fingers in his mouth and sucked every last bit of my juices from them, groaning.

When I could finally breathe again, I laughed, shaking my head. "You may have to run an extra two miles every day if that's my reward every time for making you cookies."

Edward threw his head back and laughed before leaning in to kiss me. I tasted myself on him lips and tongue – tart and earthy, but not altogether unpleasant.

"Come on," he said as we finally pulled apart. "There's one more room I want to see before you show me the bedroom – in extensive detail," he teased with a crooked grin and raised eyebrow.

Scooping me into his arms, he set me on my feet, grinning again when I wobbled unsteadily on my feet for a moment.

"Follow me, Masen," I told him, taking his hand and leading him from the kitchen

We walked back through the dining and living rooms and then down the hall leading to the library. I had the door closed so it would be some dramatic reveal, even though he'd already seen pictures and had seen the room through the window at the front of the house as we pulled into the driveway.

"Go ahead," I said quietly, knowing this was the room he'd been most looking forward to seeing.

Edward reached out and turned the knob, pushing the door open lightly so it didn't hit the wall behind it. He was quiet as he walked in, pulling me behind him. Once inside, he stopped us in the center of the room, keeping his hand in mine as he slowly spun, looking at all the bookshelves, the loveseat...but he stilled when his eyes landed on the black baby grand piano by the French doors.

"Play for me?" I asked softly, wanting it more than almost anything else at the moment.

Edward nodded, bringing me with him as he moved to the piano and slid the bench out. Once he was sitting in front of the keys, he patted the seat beside him, asking me without words to sit with him as he played.

He opened the cover, running his hands over the black and white keys almost reverently. "It's probably way out of tune," he murmured apologetically.

I shook my head, biting my lip before admitting the other surprise I had for him. "I had it tuned last week... I asked the music teacher at school for a recommendation," I hurried to assure him. "She gave me the name of the guy she uses for not only the school pianos, but also the one she has at her house." I closed my mouth before I could ramble any more.

"Yeah?" Edward took a deep breath and then played a quick set of warm-up scales, nodding and grinning. "It's perfect. Thank you, sweetheart."

He looked back at the keys in front of him and began to play. I recognized it as the song he'd written for his mom. It was hauntingly beautiful, and I could tell how much it meant to him as he closed his eyes and lost himself to the music.

By the time the last notes rang through the room, silent tears were again falling unchecked down my cheeks.

"Oh, Bella," he murmured. "Come here, sweetheart."

With his help, I clambered up into his lap, straddling his thighs and leaning into him, resting my forehead on his shoulder.

"It's so b-beautiful," I mumbled into his neck.

His only response was to tighten his arms around me and press a kiss to my hair.

After a moment, I spoke again. "Play mine?"

Edward chuckled, the movement jostling me on his lap and brushing our lower halves against one another deliciously.

With a groan, he put his hands back on the keys and began to play. It started off slow but quickly transitioned into light, fast notes. I could feel every bit of tension leave him as I clung to him, listening to the song he'd written just for me.

When he finished, I whispered, "Again..."

This time, I couldn't keep my lips to myself. Feeling him hard and ready, pressing against me intimately, knowing he was here to stay had me suddenly ravenous for him. As the music built and swelled, I placed kisses to his neck, sucking lightly at his Adam's apple. When I nipped at the stubbled skin of his jaw, he abruptly stopped playing, standing smoothly with me in his arms as the bench scooted back along the hardwood floor with a screech.

"That's it," he growled softly, leaning down to kiss me hard and fast. "Which way to the bedroom?"

I laughed, my head falling back, and said, "Out the door and to the right at the end of the hall."

I was still laughing as he used his elbow to switch off the light and moved us quickly out of the library toward the bedroom.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I love that she showed him around THEIR house. :) And you got a little piano lovin. ;) There will be more in the story, I promise. For now, though, leave some love, and then go celebrate Sarge being home with Deb's chapter. *grin* – Jenny**


	150. Chapter 150: Edward

**A/N #1: Sigh... There's something about Jen's chapter that just wrecks me. I think it's the memories of his parents that Sarge was reliving.**

**You guys aren't stupid. LMAO This chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING...so just... Here... **sets pallet of ShamWows down in the middle of the room** Grab 'em if you need 'em. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Saturday, October 02, 2010 at 9:01 P.M.**

Christ Almighty! I just couldn't take another second of it. It was all just too fucking much – the house, the absolute solid blend of my things with Bella's, the sound that came from my piano, and the feel of her in my arms as I played it.

I carried a highly-amused girl down the hallway, unable to not chuckle at her. The pure joy of finally being together – permanently – was practically making us stupid. But damn, I wanted her. It felt like I hadn't been buried inside of her in years, not the simple, easy two and a half weeks it had truly been.

There was a part of me that kind of wanted a tour of the bedroom, but my cock protested, and it was smarter and much more in control than me at the moment, because it was focused on small nimble fingers tugging at my fatigue shirt, pulling it from my waistband and unbuttoning it. It was straining against my pants to get closer to the warmth, the wetness that was searing me while strong legs gripped my hips tighter.

I made it as far as the door before Bella's tongue, lips, and teeth became overwhelming against the skin of my jaw, neck, and throat. With a rumble from my chest, I pressed her into the hard wood of the door, using the leverage to grind against her at the same time that one of my hands shot to her hair to pull her mouth to mine.

Swallowing her sweet whimper, I kissed her hard. I wanted so badly to do this properly in her bed – damn it, _our_ bed – but when her mouth opened for me, I was just fucking done. Luckily, Bella had just a touch more sense about her than I did.

"Edward," she mumbled against my lips, smiling when I huffed and kissed her to shut her up. "Babe," she snickered, grasping either side of my face. Pulling my forehead to hers, she whispered, "I want you in my bed. Please. You have no idea how long I've waited..."

Panting heavily, I nodded against her. "_Our_ bed," I corrected her.

Her smile was so fucking beautiful, filled with so much hope and love and promise that I forced myself to slow down. We had all the time in the world now. Certainly, I could relish this moment.

"Yeah," she breathed, still smiling.

I kissed her lips quickly before tugging her off the door, but I fucking refused to set her down. "Open the door and show me," I commanded, my voice huskier than I expected, but she reached down and turned the doorknob.

The room was basically like stepping inside of Bella's heart. Her influence was practically dripping down the walls. Her scent filled the room, making me even harder than I already was. But that was when I noticed the little things – my shoes by hers, my clothes hanging next to hers, even my suit that was already dry-cleaned for Charlie's wedding hanging on the hook of the closet door. Pictures of the two of us in Florida were everywhere, the largest hanging just over the chair in the corner. A stack of books here, her laptop and school work there, a T-shirt of mine she must have slept in on the top of the dirty laundry basket – it all felt so fucking right, like it had always been that way.

But it was the bed my eyes finally landed on, causing my heart to ache with want. I'd seen her in it over Skype, but nothing prepared me for the moment to actually take her in it. Sitting down on the edge of it, I kept her in my lap. She had been pushing at my shirt until she was almost frustrated, so I took sympathy on her and shrugged out of it.

"Better, sweet girl?" I asked her but smirked when she shook her head no, her hands immediately reaching for the hem of my tan T-shirt. Once that was off and tossed to the floor, my hands slid up her thighs and underneath her dress. "What do you want now that you've got me where you want me?" I asked her, gathering up her dress so that I could lift it off of her, which left her in satin and lace and all things sexy and blue.

A wicked little smirk curled up her lips, and she whispered, "Everything."

My dick twitched hard at the purr to her voice, the dark look in her eyes, and the unbelievably sexy lick of her lips. Her warm hands caressed my chest and my stomach, her fingers taking in every dip of muscle and every inch of skin. When her thumb swirled along the trail of hair that disappeared into the waistband of my cargo pants, I leaned forward to place a long, slow, wet kiss to the swell of her breast, skimming my lips up to her ear.

"Hmm, _everything_ isn't specific enough for me, Isabella," I crooned, suckling on her skin lightly. "I'm thinking you need to give me details, my sexy girl."

I knew I was playing with fire because hearing her say words like pussy, cock, and come absolutely drove me mad. But fuck, I wanted to hear it.

"Touch me," she whispered, sliding her hands up my biceps to my shoulders and finally cupping either side of my face. "And don't stop. I need to feel that you're finally here. _Really_ here."

Tucking her hair behind her ear, I kissed her lips softly, whispering, "The wait is over, beautiful girl. I promise. No more goodbyes."

"Good," she breathed, capturing my mouth with her own.

I gave her what she wanted. Starting at her shoulders, I trailed fingertips lightly down her spine until I came to the hook of her bra, which was quickly undone and discarded. With palms flat and fingers spread, I touched every inch of skin – the small of her back, the outside of her thighs, around to her perfect ass, my fingers delving beneath satin in order to touch something even softer. I let my thumbs tease her sensitive area just above her underwear, and finally, I cupped her full, round breasts with nipples so tight and hard that they had to have been almost painful because she let out another desperate sound into my mouth.

"What else, baby?" I asked her, arching her in my arms so that I could capture her left nipple, swirling my tongue around it, suckling it, nuzzling it with my nose, all while cupping the other breast. "What more did you want me to do to you in this bed?" I let my lips brush against her nipple with each word, each push of breath across now very wet skin.

Her breath caught as her head fell back, but she didn't answer me. She simply gripped my hair to hold me where she wanted me. Sitting her up straight, I dragged my lips across her sternum, her collarbone, and her neck along the way to her ear.

"Can I tell you what I wanted?" I rumbled against the soft spot of her skin, trying to keep her hips from rolling over me too much because if she kept that up, I wasn't going to last long. She nodded yes, and I continued. "I've wanted to see you naked in the middle of this bed for so long, I thought I'd go mad. I wanted to see you waiting for me, ready for me to fuck you hard, deep, all night long."

"Oh, God, yes," she breathed, her whole body giving a shudder.

"Good girl," I praised her. "Now stand up for me."

She slipped off of me to stand between my legs on unsure feet. Once she was steady, I hooked my fingers into the waistband of her underwear.

"These...mmm... These are very, very pretty, love, but I want them off. And then I want you in the middle of this bed. Got me?" I asked, looking up at her through my eyelashes as I dragged the silky fabric down her legs, making sure I touched her teasingly all the way down to her feet.

I was every bit aware that Bella loved my orders, my "commanding Sarge voice," as she called it. She stepped out of her panties and crawled onto the bed, giving me a fan-fucking-tastic view of her ass and her swollen, wet pussy. I had to adjust myself in order to untie my boots. I kicked them off, along with my socks, finally standing up to shed my pants and underwear. Gazing down at the stunning view on the bed, I knew I wouldn't last much longer without burying myself so deep inside of her that we couldn't tell where I ended and she began.

I shook my head at the thought that this beautiful creature was mine, that I finally got to keep her, and that I never, ever had to let her go again. The knowledge that I would be waking up every fucking morning with her in my arms just about made my chest ache. There was no more ticking clock, no more crossing off days on the calendar, and no more waiting to start our future. All of that was fucking over.

"You're so fucking perfect," I whispered from the foot of the bed. "Spread your legs for me, baby. Show me how wet I make you."

Two beautiful, smooth legs bent at the knees in front of me, and her breathing was heavy, which caused her chest to rise and fall with every inhale and exhale. She was so wet that I could see the slickness of it on the inside of her thighs, and I licked my lips in want of it.

I pursed my lips, shaking my head one time, asking, "Oh, sweet girl, how many times did you cry out for me in this bed?"

She huffed a laugh, but her hands gripped the bed linens hard in her little fists. "More times than I can count, babe."

"Mr. Sparkle got to have all the fun," I mused, tilting my head at her and dragging my tongue along my bottom lip. "His services are now—"

"No longer needed," she finished for me.

Chuckling darkly, I nodded in complete agreement. "Yeah, he's so fired." I sighed at the sight of her, all wanton and ready but happy all at the same time. "God, love. I want you so badly. I can barely see straight."

"C'mere," she whispered, holding her arms out for me.

Crawling up the bed, I pressed kisses to the top of each foot, ghosting my lips up her shin, only to kiss both knees. Gathering up her amazing taste from the inside of her thighs, I smiled against her skin when her hips bucked up off of the bed.

As much as I wanted to taste her, feel her come on my face, lips, and tongue, I wanted to be inside of her even more. I wanted to lose myself in her wrapped around me in every way the first time we made love in _our_ bed. However, the flavor of her could not be ignored. I licked her from one end to the other, loving the sound of my name from her mouth. Nuzzling the soft, trimmed hairs of her mound, my lips finally trailed up to the sweet, sensitive spot just along her bikini line.

"Yes," she moaned, her eyes rolling back as I marked her as mine, sucking her skin hard.

Her hips rolled underneath me, trying to get closer, find friction. Something – _anything_. I wanted to tease her some more, but I had a feeling she was just about to her breaking point, and I was right, because suddenly, her hands were in my hair, her voice desperate.

"Edward..._please_."

I fell over her, planting my elbow by her head in order to kiss the ever-loving shit out of her. Her hands curled into claws along my back, pulling me closer, urging me to take her.

"I can't wait any longer," she panted, sounding pained, her voice filling with emotion. "I've missed you...I've waited so long..."

"I love you," I simply said, pressing my forehead to hers as our eyes locked at the same time I lined up with her entrance.

"Love you..."

Her voice cut off as I sheathed myself inside of her as far as I could go, both of us crying out at the feel of it. I didn't think anything would ever feel as good as how tight and wet and warm she felt.

"Fuck," I growled through gritted teeth, trying my damnedest not to come at the heaven that was clenching around me, attempting to adjust to having me inside of her again after not having me for a few weeks.

"Shit, you feel so good," she whispered, urging me to move as her entire body practically vibrated around me.

I started a slow, deep pace, my eyes never leaving the beautiful face under me. The ache that I'd had during the last separation disappeared instantly. The need to never be away from her again that had almost been overwhelming the last time we'd said goodbye came bubbling up to the surface and out of my unfiltered mouth.

"I never want to be away from you again," I murmured. "Never."

"You don't have to," she said, gasping when I lifted her leg between us. "Oh, Christ...right there..."

If possible, she got even wetter as I asked, "Here? Is that what you need?"

"Oh, God... Yesss," she hissed, her eyes rolling back into her head as I picked up the pace, which was a double-edged sword because I was so fucking close to losing my shit. Hard.

"No. No... You look at me when you come, Isabella," I ordered, wanting nothing more than to watch her sweet brown eyes darken to almost black before she fell over the edge. "The first time you come for me..._in our bed_...you'll look at me."

"Edward...fuck," she moaned, dragging the curse word out when I let her leg fall to the crook of my arm and my hand snaked between us to find her clit. "I'm so close," she warned me.

"Good, you come...and come hard for me, sweet girl."

When she shattered beneath me, her whole body clenched down on me – her legs pulling me closer, her hands gripping my ass, and her pussy constricting around my cock hard. I tried to hold out, to make myself last, but the burn in my stomach exploded, causing me to fall over the edge right along with my beautiful girl.

Letting my forehead fall to her shoulder, I tried to catch my breath. Small, gentle fingers trailed up and down my spine and through my hair. I let Bella's leg fall back to the bed, soothing it a little with an open hand before pulling back to look at her. I had zero desire to separate from her at the moment, so I stayed connected to her as I pressed soft kisses to her forehead, each eye, the tip of her nose, and finally, her lips.

Our skin was tacky with sweat, but still I couldn't tear myself away from her gaze, her touch, her mouth.

She smiled against my lips when our kisses heated, deepened, and suddenly, I was hardening inside of her again.

"My, my, Sarge," she purred, cupping my smirking face. "Someone's needy."

I chuckled darkly, unabashedly, because I couldn't help it. I had no shame in letting her know how much I wanted her – all day, every day, for the rest of our lives.

"Now," she crooned, pushing at me a little. "Let me show you what _I_ wanted to see in this bed."

I rolled onto my back, taking her with me. Even though it caused me to slip out of her, she was just beyond sexy as she slowly straddled me and sank back down over me. My hands gripped her hips, urging her to move, but she held still, her eyes taking in every inch of me beneath her.

She sighed, her eyes warm but still filled with want as she whispered, "I'm so glad you're finally here to stay, Edward."

Sitting up, I cupped her face, kissing her lips softly, gently. "Show me, Bella."

With a glorious roll of her body and a light push on my shoulders, she took control as I fell back, letting her show me what it felt like to finally have found home.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Yeah...he's really, really home. This was a huge revelation for me when I wrote this chapter. :)**

**I know that you guys want this to continue forever and ever, but it's just not feasible. However, Sarge meets Miss Mary tomorrow, so you'll definitely want to catch that. LOL I love her. Spunky old thing. XD**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	151. Chapter 151: Bella

**A/N #1: Glad you guys enjoyed his homecoming. :) We were SO excited to get you guys to this point. There's so much great stuff to come, and one of the touchstones we've been talking about – something we have wanted to show forever. So LEMON WARNING, and enjoy. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Sunday, October 03, 2010 at 8:32 A.M.**

The first thing I became aware of was Edward: his hand, the palm flat on my stomach slowly sliding down; his thighs pressed to the back of mine, the coarse hair tickling my skin; his hard cock trapped between us, stroking up and down the cleft of my cheeks as he slowly thrust his hips against mine; and finally, his warm breath, ghosting over my cheek, my neck, my shoulder as he pressed kisses to my skin.

The second thing was easy to ignore. That slight soreness – in my legs, my shoulders, between my legs, and even my fingers from gripping the sheets... All of that was a result of the many, _many_ rounds of sex from the moment we made it into the bedroom last night until we fell asleep, emotionally and physically exhausted, around three in the morning.

"Mmm," I purred softly, reaching back to touch his face as he pressed yet another kiss to one of the spots he'd marked overnight. "G'morning."

"Morning," Edward rumbled quietly as he cupped me gently between the legs. "Sore?"

"Not sore enough," I promised, bucking into his hand as I reached back between us and grasped his length lightly. Lifting my top leg, I positioned him until he was sliding back and forth across my slit, the head of his cock hitting my clit with every thrust. I moaned, feeling him slip just over my entrance.

Edward must have known I needed more because his hand moved until he was guiding his cock inside me with his next thrust, pulling a groan from us both.

"Fuck, yes," he growled low.

In this position, there wasn't a lot of freedom of movement, but he was in the perfect position to slide across my g-spot with every stroke, taking me higher and higher.

Reaching back, I turned my head and pulled him to me, echoing with my tongue what he was doing below. When I started whimpering into his mouth, he growled into our kiss, nipping my lips and soothing with little kisses as his fingers found my clit where we were joined. Just when I thought I couldn't stand it any longer, when I felt like the string inside me had been wound so tight, it would snap, he pinched my clit, sending me over the edge.

"Oh, God...oh, God," I chanted breathlessly, bucking my hips as I tightened around him. I could feel him thrust one last time, coming in silent pulses inside me as he gasped against my lips.

For several minutes, we lay in the same position, breathing heavily but unable to move. Finally, Edward slipped out of me, rolling to his back and tugging me with him. I curled up beside him, propping my head up on one hand and resting the other lightly on his abdomen, watching the muscles twitching under my touch.

"That's quite the way to wake up," I laughed, grinning when he glanced up at me with a sheepish look.

"I'm sorry," he said, reaching up to cup my face, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "You're sore, aren't you?"

Placing my hand on top of his, I smiled. "Babe, I'd have stopped you if I'd been too sore, I promise. Trust me...you didn't do anything I didn't want you to do."

He looked long and hard at me, staring into my eyes before moving his gaze over the rest of my face and down. I knew what he was looking for and what he was seeing. He was looking for twinges of soreness – or worse, of pain; I also knew that all he would see was more love, peace, and happiness than I'd ever felt before.

His worry finally satisfied, he smiled. "Good. I woke up, and you were right there, that gorgeous, soft ass pressed against me... Then I looked around and realized again that I was..." He huffed, shaking his head. "That I was home. It was just too much."

Giggling softly, I leaned down to kiss him once. "Feel free to react that way every time you realize you're home," I told him with a wink. "Or when you realize it's Monday, or when you can tell your hair has grown out some..."

I was listing silly nonsense, wanting to see him smile again, and it worked. He reached up to run a hand over his head and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, how about that," he said, a wicked sexy grin spreading over his face. "I can tell it grew out a millimeter overnight..."

I squealed as I found myself suddenly on my back, my naughty Sarge hovering over me, leering. I was just about to call a truce because I really was a bit too sore to go again so soon, but then Edward's stomach growled – loudly.

Edward dropped his forehead to my shoulder, his body shaking with silent laughter, and I couldn't help but join in.

"Hungry?" I asked, snorting a little when my own stomach seemed to echo his.

"Apparently we both are," he said through his laughter.

"Come on, Sarge," I said, giving his shoulder a gentle shove so he fell back to his back. "I get first in the bathroom, and then I'll start the coffee and breakfast while you take your turn."

He grabbed my hand so I couldn't get out of bed. "I'm really good in the shower..." he teased, fluttering those damn long eyelashes.

I laughed. "I know you are...but honestly, I'm not sure I can handle another round right now..."

Suddenly all serious, he said, "Shower with me, beautiful girl. Let me take care of you. I'll keep it clean – so to speak – I promise."

Sighing happily, I leaned down to press a kiss to his frowning lips. "C'mon, then," I told him, letting go of his hand and climbing out of bed. "Let's go clean up so we can feed the beasts."

~oooOOOooo~

I laughed, shaking my head, as I looked at the clock on the microwave. Edward and I had spent almost forty-five minutes in the shower. We hadn't had sex – I hadn't been lying when I'd said I was too sore – but that didn't mean we hadn't thoroughly loved on one another. Edward had washed my hair, something no guy before him had ever even offered to do, and spent a good long while making sure every inch of me was clean. He'd even squatted down until he was sitting on his heels and then picked up my feet, washing between each toe. Then from his position below me, he'd put one leg over his shoulder and licked and sucked at me until I came.

Of course, I'd been just as bad. From the tips of his toes to the top of his head, I'd washed him all, delighting in coaxing another orgasm from him using my strawberry-scented body wash to stroke him until he made a mess all over the wall of the shower.

Grabbing the bag of coffee beans I'd bought specifically for Edward and the new coffee grinder, I set about making the coffee on autopilot while I thought about breakfast. For Edward's first morning home, I wanted to do something special. I knew I had everything I'd need to make coffee cake, and that fit the bill.

Edward was getting dressed and going to grab his stuff from the car, but I knew he would come looking for me soon, so once the freshly ground coffee was in, I pulled out all the ingredients for our breakfast. I chopped walnuts, measured out flour, sugar – both regular and light brown – cinnamon, salt, and melted butter, mixing them all together and spreading out the crumble on a parchment-lined pan before putting it into the refrigerator.

By the time I had the butter and sugar creamed together, I'd begun to wonder about Edward. He had mentioned needing to call Garrett and let him and Irina know he was in Seattle for good. Maybe he'd decided to do that now. It was two hours later in Chicago, so it wouldn't be too early. Shrugging, I went back to preparing the batter for our coffee cake.

As soon as I put the pan in the oven, I washed my hands and then went looking for Edward.

"Edward?" I called out when I realized he wasn't in the living room.

There was no answer, and after a quick check in the bedroom, bathroom, and library, I knew he wasn't in the house. Moving to the living room again, I looked out the window and laughed when I saw him standing by the car, his bag at his feet. Miss Mary was standing near him, speaking animatedly with a permanent grin on her face.

Making a quick stop in the bedroom for a pair of shorts – I'd been wearing one of Edward's T-shirts only – and then the kitchen, I went back through the living room and out the front door.

Miss Mary caught sight of me first, and her eyes lit up even further. "Isabella, sweetheart! Good morning!"

Edward turned to look at me, and the emotions that flitted across his face nearly made me giggle. There was love, of course, but there was also amusement and relief. I could only guess that while he was enjoying speaking with my elderly neighbor, she'd kept him occupied for longer than he'd have liked.

"Good morning, Miss Mary," I said, wrapping the older woman in a gentle hug. "I see you met Edward."

"Oh, yes, I did!" she responded excitedly. "Your young man and I were just having a very nice chat. I told him I felt like I already knew him from everything you and your girls have mentioned over the last few months. Did you know his daddy was a lawyer?" She shook her head. "Of course you did! Anyway, I just had to tell him that my late husband was a lawyer, as well, after he got out of the army. Fred would have liked you, Edward," she said, turning to beam at him.

Edward chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "I'm sure I'd have liked Fred, as well, Mrs. Jackson. He sounds like he was a remarkable man."

She frowned. "What did I tell you about that Mrs. Jackson nonsense, hmm?" She grinned. "Mrs. Jackson was my mother-in-law. It's Mary or Miss Mary, if you're like Isabella here."

"Miss Mary, then," Edward acknowledged.

I held out the bag of goodies. "Miss Mary, I made muffins yesterday and knew you'd enjoy them, so I wanted to bring some out to you."

She took the plastic baggie from me and peered at it up close. "Oh, my lands! Blueberry. Thank you, you sweet dear. Yes, those are my favorite, as you know. And are those chocolate chip cookies?"

I grinned. "They are. I know your doctor said to limit them, so there are only a few in there. But you know where to find more if you want them," I teased, glancing over my shoulder at the house.

"That quack," she grumbled. "I am almost eighty-four years old. If I want a few extra cookies, I'm damn well going to eat them."

I laughed and then realized I needed to get back inside before the coffee cake burned. "Miss Mary, we have breakfast in the oven, so I need to get back inside before I ruin it. Would you like to join us?"

"Oh no, dear," she answered, shaking her head. "You and your young man go enjoy. I'm going to the senior center in a few hours for lunch and to see some friends, so I need to go." Turning to Edward, she said, "It was very good to meet you, Edward. You are just as handsome as your picture and every bit the gentleman Isabella said you were."

Edward smiled and moved his arm from my shoulder to shake her hand. Leaning down, he brushed a kiss over the back of her hand and then smiled. "It was very nice to finally meet you, as well, Miss Mary. Perhaps you can join us for lunch one day soon?"

Miss Mary looked flustered and blushed – a first that I'd ever seen! – before smiling and nodding. "Yes, that would be wonderful." Turning to me, she winked. "Goodbye, Isabella. Have fun welcoming him home."

With that, she turned and slowly made her way back across her lawn to her house.

Once she was safely inside, Edward bent down to get his bag, and it was only then that I heard his snort of laughter. "Damn, that woman can talk," he laughed, straightening up and shaking his head.

"What in the world did you talk about?" I asked, giggling as we headed back to the house.

He shook his head again. "I'll tell you when we get inside. You mentioned breakfast was in the oven?"

I laughed and pulled open the door, enjoying the fact that Edward seemed to love my cooking as much as he loved me.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: So Sarge met Miss Mary. :) She is too adorable, isn't she? And whew! Gotta love that B/E can't keep their hands off each other, right? LOL**

**Okay, leave some love, and then head on over to see what Sarge has to say. :) – Jenny**


	152. Chapter 152: Edward

**A/N #1: Miss Mary rocks! LOL I half expected her to pinch Sarge's ass. XD Now, something you guys have been super curious about... The box Tanya sent...**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Monday, October 04, 2010 at 4:47 P.M.**

"Babe, we should start getting ready," Bella called from the library's doorway. "Everyone wants to meet at the restaurant between six and six thirty for drinks first."

"Okay," I answered, tossing a broken down box onto the pile.

I'd been trying my damnedest to leave her alone. I knew she had papers to grade, a test to plan out for her return to work tomorrow, and she was sore, so I'd kept my touches to just a few tickles and stolen kisses. I'd rearranged the keepsakes in my mother's hope chest to accommodate a few more things, like a quilt and photo albums. I'd made use of the space that Bella had left me on the bookcases in the library and put away all my books. All that was left was just a couple of boxes.

"Wow, you've been busy," she chuckled, gazing around the room.

I ran a hand through my hair with a nod. "Well, I got to looking, and I think once all the boxes are gone and we move that sofa down just a little, we could fit my dad's desk in here." I gazed around the room, shrugging a shoulder. "Maybe move the piano over a few inches, too. I'll get the guys to help me move it this week."

Bella smiled and nodded. "Sounds great, Edward. So what's left?" she asked, pointing to the three unopened boxes against the wall.

"I think a few more books...and Tanya's box," I said, chuckling when my fierce girl's eyes narrowed. "I'm pretty sure it's not a severed head because it would've started to smell, but after that, I'm not sure..."

Bella laughed, a wicked gleam sparkling in her eyes. "You wanna?" she asked, snatching up the box and setting it on the piano bench.

We both stared at it silently for almost a full count to ten, which was funny all on its own.

"It's not ticking," she giggled, glancing up at me.

Pulling the blade from my pocket, I sliced the tape. Locking gazes with my girl, I said, "On three...ready?" I asked, and she nodded. "One...two..."

"Three," we said together, slowly peeking inside.

I snorted, rolling my eyes. It was inane things – movies, CDs, and a few pictures. "I'm rather disappointed it wasn't a severed head," I muttered, smiling when Bella laughed.

She gathered the movies and music out of the box and set them aside, only to pull out a red sweatshirt. "No, that wasn't a jab at all," she mused, turning it around to show the Harvard logo.

"Garbage," I grunted, rolling my eyes and pointing to the bag by the door.

"This is your writing," she said, holding up an envelope after she'd tossed the shirt into the overflowing garbage bag. She peeked inside, gasping, "Shut the fuck up!"

"Don't tell me...anthrax?" I asked with a dramatic gasp. "Don't breathe, sweet girl!"

"No, you ass," Bella chuckled, offering the letter, and I took it from her, my mouth falling open.

It was the last letter I'd sent Tanya, including the fifty-something pictures of my fellow soldiers' wives and girlfriends. Flipping through them, I snorted into a laugh.

"Well, she did take hers out," I said, tossing all of it back into the box. "Leave it. I'll finish tomorrow." I wrapped my arms around Bella, practically frog-marching her out of the room. "Shower time, my beautiful girl. I'm awfully dirty..."

~oooOOOooo~

"No way! Wicked Witch sent them back?" Rose gasped, and I couldn't help but laugh because my nickname for my ex was apparently used by all.

"I want my fifty bucks back," Emmett growled, smacking Jasper's arm with the back of his heavy hand. "I said she'd mail them."

"You said she'd burn them and then mail them. You still lost," Jasper countered, wearing a smug smile. "Deal with it."

Emmett pouted, but Alice changed the subject smoothly.

"So Edward, did you meet Miss Mary yet?" she asked, grinning when Bella giggled.

"First day," I laughed. "She's something else." I smirked, shaking my head. "First of all, she scared the shit out of me. Snuck up on my ass. I'm digging around in Bella's car for my duffel and laptop bag, only to come up out of the trunk and there's this tiny little thing standing there."

"She does walk softly," Bella mused, shrugging a shoulder.

"It's those slippers she wears," Rose snorted, shaking her head.

"Anyway, she knew who I was immediately...something about seeing endless pictures. She couldn't help but say how happy Bella was the last few months," I said, raising an eyebrow at my beautiful girl, who was trying to pull off an innocent expression, only failing miserably. "She introduced herself, asked about the war, and told me that her husband was in the military – WWII – but came home to go to law school."

"No shit?" Emmett asked, gesturing to our waitress for another round of drinks. "What branch?"

"Army Air Corp," I said with a nod of respect. "He survived Pearl Harbor only to ship out to England."

"Did she ask you about that tree in her front yard?" Bella asked, linking her fingers with mine. "I told her that we'd help her."

"She did. In fact, she has several trees that need trimming before the winter...as do we, sweet girl," I answered her.

"Don't sweat it, Sarge. When we come over to move that desk, we'll just attack both yards at the same time," Jasper suggested with a shrug.

I nodded, smiling a little as Bella's fingers tightened around mine. The girls merged into easy conversations about Charlie's upcoming wedding, which led to fishing, the shooting range, and travel plans. When school was the next topic, I smiled, pressing a kiss to Bella's temple, because since the moment I knew I was coming to Seattle – to her – this was exactly what I'd pictured. Plans, jobs, chores, and friends. It was something I thought I'd never have, and now I had it all...in spades.

The waitress dropped off our drinks with a smile at our laughter-filled table, telling us she'd be back when our table was ready for dinner.

"A toast!" Emmett boomed. "To surviving the desert..."

"To new beginnings," Jasper added.

I raised my beer bottle, everyone meeting it in the middle of our table with their own. "To home, family...and love."

Bottles clinked as we all cried out, "Hear, hear!"

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: HeeHee... Not a severed head... XD**

**You guys make my day...every day. If I'm having a bad day, all I have to do is step into Sarge's Girls on FB, and you guys make it all go away. Thank you! LOL**

**Okay, so some adjusting to Sarge being home, and then soon...CHARLIE! :) I know you guys are looking forward to that. Not long... Promise.**

**We'll see you tomorrow, troops. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	153. Chapter 153: Bella

**A/N #1: Things are moving right along. :) It's back to the real world for Sarge and his Bella, unfortunately. Let's see how they handle that, shall we?**

**~oOo~**

**Tuesday... October 05, 2010 at 6:45 A.M.**

I struggled awake when my alarm blared, pulling me from the dream I'd been having, involving Edward and an ice cream sundae. Throwing one hand out to silence the infernal beeping, I reached over for the man of my dreams – both literally and figuratively – only to find the bed beside me empty and the sheets cool to the touch. Since I'd woken up the last two mornings with him, it was a bit disconcerting.

When I rolled over to look and make sure I hadn't missed him, I realized the bed wasn't completely empty. In his place was a piece of paper and a pretty pink flower from one of the bushes out back.

~oooOOOooo~

_Bella,_

_Sorry I wasn't there when you woke. I got up early and decided to go ahead and get my run in since I've skipped it the last few days. I'll be back shortly – definitely before you leave for school._

_Love,  
Edward_

~oooOOOooo~

I put the flower to my nose, inhaling the sweet, floral scent, and smiled. My man could woo like no other.

Realizing that it was the perfect time to carry out the plan I'd made the night before, I sat back down on the bed. After setting the note and flower aside, I opened my bedside table and pulled out my stationery and pen. I hadn't sent Edward a hand-written letter in a while. Now that I was going back to work, I thought it was the perfect time to tell him via letter how much I loved him and how happy I was that he was here.

Putting my feelings down on paper was easy. Once I finished, I folded the letter, stuck it in one of the matching envelopes, wrote Edward's name on the front, and hurried down the hall to the library. I had debated about where to leave it, since I wanted it to be a surprise. I knew he was planning to finish unpacking the boxes today, and I was sure he'd spend some time at the piano,..so I left it propped up on the piano where the sheet music would normally sit.

Once I'd turned the light back off, I hurried back down the hall to the bedroom. I didn't want to give Edward any clue that I'd been in the other room so early and make him curious. Passing through the bedroom, I headed into the bathroom to shower and get ready for school.

~oooOOOooo~

By the time I came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel with another around my hair, Edward was back and sitting in the rocking chair in the bedroom...but he wasn't alone.

"Oh..." I groaned happily, reaching out for the big Starbucks cup he was holding.

He grinned, pulling his hand back out of my reach. "Uh uh," he said, shaking his head. "Kiss first."

Laughing, I leaned in and touched my lips to his. "I'm all clean, and you aren't. That's all you're getting for now, mister. Now gimme."

Edward chuckled and handed me the coffee. "Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream, right?"

I couldn't help but gape at him. I'd mentioned that just a couple of times months ago.

He shrugged, his cheeks pinking slightly. "I figured today was a special enough day. It's kind of the first day of the rest of our lives, ya know?"

Leaning in, I kissed him again, unable not to. "I can't believe you remembered my go-to special occasion drink."

"I remember everything you've ever told me, Bella," he said sincerely. "Now, get dressed, sweet girl. I need a shower..." He held open the neck of his shirt and took a whiff, making a face. "Yeah, definitely a shower."

Laughing, I backed away, nodding. "Want some breakfast? I was just going to heat up a banana-blueberry muffin for myself, but I can make something for you. I have time."

He shook his head. "Nah, I'll just take a couple of muffins, too, if there are enough." With one last kiss, he moved around me and headed to the bathroom.

Taking a long, careful sip of the coffee, I sighed happily. Setting it down on top of the dresser, I went to the closet to pick out my clothes for the day.

~oooOOOooo~

As I settled behind my desk at school, I thought back to the last few minutes. Edward had walked me to the car, holding my hand in one of his and my bag in the other. He had opened the passenger door and set the bag on the floor of the passenger seat before walking me around to the driver's door, where he'd proceeded to kiss me senseless.

_Laughing, I swiped my tongue across my lip as he pulled away. "It's a good thing I brought my lipstick," I teased, knowing it was all messed up after that enthusiastic goodbye._

_He shrugged, raising an eyebrow. He was trying to be all smooth, but the grin that stretched across his face then belied the laid-back approach he was going for. "It was worth it."_

"_Have a good day with the boys," I said, leaning in for another quick kiss. "I'll call you when I have some free time."_

"_You'd better," he replied, shutting my door for me after making sure I was out of the way._

It was the best start to a school day I'd ever had.

Unpacking my laptop and pulling out the stack of papers for my class, I knew it was about to be even better. Stuck between the lid and keyboard of my laptop was an envelope, which I knew could only have come from Edward. Glancing at the clock, I realized I still had a few minutes before the kids came in, so I pulled it out, smiled at my name written in Edward's script on the front, and settled back to read.

_My sweet, beautiful Isabella,_

_It's so easy to get wrapped up in instant gratification. With text, email, and phone calls – not to mention now seeing you face-to-face – it's understandable that actually hand-writing you a letter has been pushed to the wayside. But I really wanted to go back to it for what I wanted to tell you._

_You truly have no idea what your first letter did for me. Honestly. You were this feisty thing that was more upset about the Wicked Witch than I was, and it not only made me laugh, but it intrigued me to the point that I wanted to know more. You were this breath of fresh air, a cool glass of water sent to me in the middle of the desert – literally. You became everything I didn't know I needed – someone who'd listen, cheer me up when I needed it the most, and be there for me no matter what. I came to rely on it. It wasn't the care packages, though I lived for them. It was the thought that went into each and every one. It was coming back from seeing the most awful things and knowing that I could fall into your words, making everything okay when it looked like nothing would ever be okay again._

_Then I saw your face. My first thought was that you couldn't be real, that you weren't this sweet, caring person and so damn beautiful at the same time. It seemed impossible. It was then that I knew that I'd fallen completely in love with you and that if we spoke face to face on Skype, I'd be done. Just...fucking done. And I was. It was the conversation that changed my life for the better forever._

_Before you, I was alone. And I didn't realize that I'd given up hope, that I was pushing myself day to day just to get through. I didn't open up to anyone because in my mind, everyone would leave or could be taken away from me, so it was best not to allow myself to get too close. Until you. Somehow, you snuck in. You settled around my heart, giving me something to live for, to aim toward._

_Bella, you gave me my light at the end of the tunnel, something to smile about and something to look forward to every day. We've been through it all, sweet girl. Ups, downs, and in-betweens. And every last step has been just perfect._

_When I first realized my feelings for you, I couldn't make you any promises. I didn't know if I would walk out of that desert in one piece – or if I'd walk out at all. I found your love for me amazing and a double-edged sword because I couldn't protect that love the way that I wanted._

_But now I can._

_As you sit at work for the first time since I've been HOME, I have a few promises to make. I promise to love you every day for the rest of our lives. I promise to drive you crazy and then spend hours making it up to you. I promise that no matter what, we'll always work things out together. I promise to give you anything you ever ask for, to do whatever it takes to keep you smiling, and to try to show you in every way just what you mean to me. And Isabella, I promise you...one day, I'll ask you to marry me._

_My love for you is impossible to write, type, or text. It's so big that it takes my breath away some days, leaving me feeling overwhelmed. There's no way that I can explain what you mean to me, but I plan on showing you._

_I love you – heart, body, and soul. Forever._

_Edward_

By the time I finished reading, I had tears running down both cheeks. It seemed Edward and I had been on the same page, feeling nostalgic and overwhelmed with our love for one another.

Running my finger lightly over his signature – neat, clean, no flowery loops or anything else girly – I glanced up at the clock. My class would be arriving momentarily.

Sighing, I folded the letter and put it back in my bag so I didn't forget it later, and then I pulled out the little makeup mirror I kept in one of the small pockets of the bag. Crying had resulted in a little bit of a mess around my eyes, so I fixed that and realized I had just enough time as the students came into the room to text Edward.

_B: Thank you for the sweet words, babe. They make being away from you today easier __and harder. Easier because I know you'll be waiting at home for me when I get out of school, and harder because all I want right now is to be in your arms. I love you. I'll call when I'm free. xoxo_

Making sure the phone was on vibrate, I put it into the top drawer of my desk and looked up.

Smiling at the kids, who were all still putting away their backpacks and settling into their seats, I spoke above the din, "Good morning, guys! How was your day with the sub yesterday?"

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ahh, a dream featuring a Sarge sundae? Yes, please! LOL**

**I can't imagine how hard it would have been to leave him to go to work! Killer, yeah? Of course, his sweet words (written by Deb. ;) ) truly helped Bella a lot. :)**

**Okay, leave us some love, and then read on to see how Sarge handles his first day home without Bella. *hugs* – Jenny**


	154. Chapter 154: Edward

**A/N #1: And so begins their reality. Bella at work, Sarge settling in and preparing for their future. There are a few changes coming.**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Tuesday, October 05, 2010 at 8:03 A.M.**

The morning air was cool as I walked Bella to her car. I would've driven her in, but I had a feeling I was going to be busy at the house – and Miss Mary's – all day. There were boxes left to unpack, my father's desk to move, not to mention Emmett and Jasper were coming over to help trim the trees before the winter weather turned nasty.

Once I'd set her things in the passenger side, a sense of excitement came over me. This was it. This was how my life was supposed to be. Another mental list of future things to do started ticking off in my head – check out UW, look for a ring, and yeah, I really needed my own car. But first and foremost, I needed to kiss the ever loving shit out of my girl.

She was too beautiful dressed for work in a skirt, but I was well aware that she was wearing a pair of the underwear I'd sent her that said "Naughty Teacher." Pushing her against her car, I leaned in to press my lips to hers. Bella tasted like the coffee I'd brought her – minty and sweet. I kissed her to claim her mouth, to thank her, to just have the flavor of her for as long as I could before she left me for several hours. And I kissed her until she was laughing adorably.

"It's a good thing I brought my lipstick," she giggled, dragging her tongue along her bottom lip, and my eyes drank it in.

I tried to play it off, but my face showed my happiness. "It was worth it."

"Have a good day with the boys," she said, kissing me one more time. "I'll call you when I have some free time."

"You'd better."

Letting her go was bittersweet. I'd already grown used to having her undivided attention over my first weekend home. Three whole days of doing whatever we felt like doing, which usually consisted of lot of naked activity. But watching her leave meant this was really our first day of reality. And it was a _good_ reality.

I stood in the now empty driveway, assessing the tree situation. When I'd called Jasper the day before, he'd said that Bella didn't have many yard tools, so he would be bringing his own to help me out. Yet something else to add to the list, but I knew my girl; she'd hate it if I went crazy buying shit, so a trip to Home Depot was going to have to wait.

The guys weren't due for another half hour, so I decided to finish with the last of my boxes. Just before I reached the house, I heard my name.

"Edward?" Miss Mary called from her front porch, her newspaper in hand.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"When those boys come over, you come see me. I'll feed you lunch before you get to work in the yard. You hear?" she said, though her voice left no room for argument. "Isabella would have my head if I let you go hungry."

Chuckling, I shot her a wave. "Well, we can't have that. I'll let you know when we plan to start."

She nodded and shuffled back inside. Once her door was safely closed, I headed on in.

I opened the last two remaining boxes of books and added them to the shelves. Gathering up the broken down boxes and garbage, I took them down to the street. When I came back, all that was left was the box that Tanya had sent me that Bella and I had left on the piano bench. After poking through it, I saved the envelope of pictures, intending to send them to Lt. Stephens, because he'd totally crack the fuck up. I also saved the DVDs and CDs, but nothing else in there was important. Snatching the whole thing up to toss onto the rest of the garbage, I noticed an envelope on my piano, my name clearly written in Bella's beautiful script.

I set the box back down and picked it up, smiling when I realized that Bella and I had obviously done the exact same thing for each other because inside was a letter.

_Edward,_

_It's been far too long since I gave you a hand-written letter. Since that is how our relationship started, I thought that was the perfect way to tell you how much I love you and how much you mean to me now._

_When I wrote you for the first time back in March, almost seven months to the day, I had no idea where that one letter would lead – or if it would even lead anywhere. I honestly think I expected you to just brush it off, maybe with a polite "thank you very much," and be done with me. I mean, here I was, a stranger, writing to talk to you about your private personal life and send you all these random things. LOL Honestly, I'm not sure I'd have blamed you had you ignored it altogether._

_But you didn't..._

_You didn't make me feel like I was butting into your life. In fact, you made the request for more, which thrilled me to no end. I could tell right from the beginning that you were someone special, and I've never been happier to be right._

_Because you are, you know. I knew from the moment you told me about your mission to Kandahar, when you lost the man there – Carlos, if I remember right? I could tell how hard you had taken it, how it had affected you. A lot of men I know would have just shrugged his death off as a casualty of war. And while you knew that it was, unfortunately, something that happened during war time, you also took it personally. He was more than just a soldier, a casualty of war like I mentioned. You knew he was a husband and a father, that he would be missed. And that touched my heart._

_You made me smile, laugh, and look forward to something as I waited for every new reply at the beginning. When I'd had a long day, I knew I could count on an email from you to lift my spirits._

_When we finally decided to Skype and I realized I was falling in love with you, I knew my life would never be the same. And you know...I was right. But Edward, it is infinitely better with you in it. You make my days brighter. My future looks happy and content, not lonely and dark, and that's all because you love me just as much as I love you._

_I can never tell you just how much you mean to me because honestly, I'm not sure I could find the right words that would express it. But know that you are my light, my love, my everything. No matter what we have to face, I know we will face it together and be stronger because of it._

_I love you, Edward Anthony Masen. Always._

_Bella_

I folded up the letter, tucked it back into its envelope, and stowed it away in the back pocket of my jeans. Smiling as I thought back over the last seven months, I realized that Bella and I were such similar creatures. Had our paths not crossed, we'd have persevered, but our lives wouldn't be beautiful and honest, fun and silly, and they wouldn't be as full as they were now.

A hard knock on the front door broke me out of my thoughts, along with Emmett's booming voice. "Yo, Sarge! You ready to get to work?" he asked.

"Yeah, in here," I told him.

"Wow, this place looks awesome," Jasper chuckled, whistling as he gazed around the room.

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, the girls outdid themselves in here. Come on. When we finish in here, Miss Mary wants to feed us."

"Sweet," Emmett said with a grin. "I hope she makes those homemade biscuits. They rock!"

As I told them the plan for the desk and then the two yards, my phone went off in my pocket.

_B: Thank you for the sweet words, babe. They make being away from you today easier and harder. Easier because I know you'll be waiting at home for me when I get out of school, and harder because all I want right now is to be in your arms. I love you. I'll call when I'm free. xoxo_

I smiled as I typed out my own message, knowing she probably wouldn't get it until her break.

_E: And thank you for your beautiful words, my sweet girl. I can't wait for your call, but know that I truly intend to make up our time apart today. I'll be waiting to peel the day off of you along with everything you're wearing, Miss Swan. I love you. See you when you get home._

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Before you ask, because some of you will... Yes, I wrote Sarge's letter, and Jenny wrote Bella's. ;)**

**Gah! I'm so very excited for these next few chapters because they became a very special part of this story. With that being said, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	155. Chapter 155: Bella

**A/N #1: Small time jump here, but everyone, including the two of us, have been waiting for these chapters, so... :)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 3:42 P.M.**

"Tell me again why I can't ride with you," Edward grumbled, sliding his hands low on my back and pulling me against him.

I chuckled, leaning up to brush my lips over his. "The girls and I haven't had any girl time since you guys got home. So we're taking the time during the trip to Forks to gossip," I teased.

He grinned but quickly tried to cover up his amusement with a frown. "So you want to talk about us, huh? Am I already annoying you with my toothpaste habits? Did I forget to put the seat down?"

Giggling, I shook my head. Edward had been being so careful at trying not to do anything to annoy me, even though I'd repeatedly told him to just be himself, that he didn't have to try so hard. "No, you silly man. Just normal girl talk. Now, can you trust me with your baby?"

Edward had just picked up his new car the day before, and he wanted to get it out on the highway, so he was letting me drive it to Forks. He had originally wanted the C70, but I'd talked him out of it because a convertible wasn't exactly the best choice for Seattle weather. Instead, he'd gotten a sleek-looking black S60, and so far, he seemed pretty happy with the choice.

"Mm," he hummed, running his nose up my jawline to press a kiss to the soft skin under my ear. "The question is...can I trust the _car_ with my baby?"

Smiling, I pulled back enough to kiss him. "I'll be fine. The car's solid, babe."

He started to say more, but Emmett walked up to him and clapped him on the shoulder. "C'mon, Sarge. Say goodbye to Bellybutton, and let's go. I wanna get on the road. The Chief promised that his bride-to-be would have dinner ready for us when we get there."

"Yeah, man," Jasper agreed. "Sue's venison chili and jalapeno cornbread are delicious. Can't miss those, so get a move on."

Edward laughed, shaking his head. "Fine," he grumbled, pouting adorably. "Kiss me one more time?"

Emmett, who was still standing beside him, leaned in and gave him a smacking wet kiss to his cheek, making the rest of us – minus Edward – double over with laughter. Edward's expression was one of horror, and he took a step back and turned, reaching out to punch at Emmett's shoulder, but Emmett dodged the blow, bouncing back on the balls of his feet.

"C'mon, Eddie," he teased. "You asked for another kiss; I gave it to you!"

Edward reached up and swiped at his cheek, looking at his hand in disgust before looking up at Emmett. Without a word, he pounced, barely missing Emmett, who turned and hightailed it across the small yard, squealing like a little girl.

The girls and Jasper were in stitches as Emmett nearly ran into a tree when he looked back to find Edward hot on his heels.

I snorted into laughter as I watched the two of them face off. Emmett puckered up again, and instead of reacting like he had before, Edward suddenly stopped moving. They were close enough that we could hear him speak.

"Oh, Emmie bear... You want another smoochie?"

The coquettish smile on his face was priceless, as was Emmett's reaction.

"Oh, fuck no, dude! I was just playin'!" He looked around, his gaze finally settling on Rose. "Rosie, a little help here?"

"What?" Rose asked, teasing Emmett. "Edward's kisses aren't good enough for you?"

As Emmett sputtered, Edward tried to hide his smirk as he stuck his nose up in the air and sniffed, turning on his heel. "That's fine. I don't need your kisses. I'm sure Bella will make it all better."

I laughed as he moved to me, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Damn straight," I told him, sliding my arms around his neck.

Our kiss was short and sweet, because we both knew we needed to get on the road. I brushed Emmett's kiss on the cheek away with my fingers, replacing it with a kiss of my own, and then winked.

"All better, Sarge," I teased. "Try not to let him get you all riled up on the drive there, 'kay?"

Edward chuckled. "Drive safely, Isabella. We'll be right behind you."

With one last kiss, we all finally split up. The girls and I piled into Edward's Volvo, with me behind the wheel, Rose beside me, and Alice in the back seat. She was shortest, so she could sit in the middle and lean up to chat, and I could still see over and around her. The guys got into Jasper's truck, and since Emmett's huge-ass shoulders wouldn't fit comfortably in the back, that left Edward to climb into the back.

Jasper backed out of the drive and pulled off to the side to wait for me to go by. I honked as I drove past, and we waved at the boys, relieved that we were finally on our way to Forks.

~oooOOOooo~

For the first thirty minutes, I concentrated on getting us to the gas station, where Edward filled the car with fuel while the girls and I went inside to get something to drink, and then out onto the highway. Once we were clear of traffic – it was not a very busy road once you got outside of Seattle, since there wasn't a ton west of there – Rose turned in her seat, and Alice leaned forward.

"So...?" Alice raised an eyebrow as I looked at her in the mirror.

"So what?" I asked cheekily.

"Bella!" She laughed, grinning as Rose and I joined her. "How are things going?"

"Yeah, Bells," Rose said, sobering a little. "It's a big change, going from living alone to living with someone else full-time."

I shrugged, smoothly changing lanes to get around a semi-truck. Glancing behind me, I watched as Jasper followed my lead. "It's great, honestly. I wasn't really worried. He's still kind of walking on eggshells – like making sure his clothes aren't strewn everywhere, asking me first if I mind if he turns on the TV...that sort of thing. I think he's worried about being an annoyance, but honestly, I'm ready for him to just...be, if that makes sense."

"It does," Rose confirmed, and Alice agreed with a nod. "It's a little bit harder to find your normal because this is the first time you guys are together in person, not just the first time you're living together."

I knew she meant together in person permanently, not just for a visit. "I suppose, yeah. You guys didn't have to worry about this type of thing when you moved in with the guys, I guess?"

Alice shrugged. "Jazz and I spent a lot of time together before I moved in with him, remember. We'd known each other and been together live and in person for over a year. So we had already spent plenty of time together as a couple at his house."

"There was a little of that when I moved in with Emmett," Rose stated with a smile, "because he's so laid back, but it didn't last long."

"You'll be fine, sweetie." Alice smiled reassuringly at me when I glanced at her. "He'll settle in quickly enough."

"Thanks," I told them, glad what Edward and I were going through wasn't totally abnormal.

"Edward's going to go to school with Jasper, right?" Alice asked.

I nodded. "He's got an appointment scheduled for a couple of weeks from now to talk to an admissions counselor. He wants to teach music, but he's not sure what the best course of action is – he's assuming he'll need to major in Education, but whether he should just minor in music or be a double major, he wasn't sure. Also, he needed to find out about whether or not he needed to audition on the piano or not for the music part of it."

"He's applied already, though?"

Nodding again, I answered, "Yup, mailed it off today, in fact. Hopefully he'll hear back before his appointment, but the lady in the admissions office said when he called that he could still meet with them even if he hadn't heard back yet. He shouldn't have any trouble getting in, so..."

"Jasper's planning on getting his master's degree?" Rose asked Alice, who nodded.

"Yeah, because I think he wants to teach at the university level." Alice shrugged. "We'll see. I'm not sure that's what he'll end up doing."

"What about Emmett?" I glanced over at Rose for a second before focusing back on the road. "You said something about Franklin's son and his shop?"

She grinned, looking animated as she replied, "Yeah, you know John, the son, owns an auto body shop. It's where I've filled in before. Anyway, he's looking for someone new to help out. In fact, he's looking for someone to come in as a partner in the business because remember, he and his wife just had a baby not long ago, so he wants to cut back on hours. Emmett's gonna start there in another week or so, and if the two of them get along – and if Emmett fits in with the rest of the crew – then Emmett may be able to slowly buy in as a partner."

I knew how much Emmett would love that. He liked working on cars as much as Rose did, but he didn't want to teach. I also knew he wouldn't want to just work for someone else for long, so the idea that he might be able to buy in as partner was perfect.

The rest of the drive, we continued talking about the upcoming few months, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. Alice's parents would be back in Forks by Christmas. I was excited to introduce Edward to my second set of parents. In some ways, Esme was more my mother than Renee was a lot of the time.

With all our conversation, the three-hour trip seemed to take no time at all. Before I knew it, I was pulling up in front of Charlie's house. His cruiser was in the drive. and Sue's Bronco was parked beside it. The porch light was on, and when I got out of the car, I could see my dad in his recliner in front of the window. The sun was just beginning to set, so I could barely make out the reflection of the television flickering across his face.

When I turned around, Edward was there, my suitcase in one hand. With the other, he reached for me, a smile on his face as he pulled me to him.

"Three hours was entirely too long," he huffed as he lowered his head to kiss me hello.

I laughed, reaching for my bag. He shook his head, adjusting us so he could take my hand as the rest of the group came up beside us.

"Ready to meet my dad?" I teased, giggling when Edward froze for a second, his eyes wide. "You'll be fine, babe. Remember, if he loves these guys—" I motioned to Emmett and Jasper, my grin widening "—he'll adore you."

"Hey!" Emmett protested. "The Chief adores me!"

I winked over at him, and he grinned, punching Edward's shoulder lightly.

"Seriously, dude. Chill. He's cool."

His chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, and when he raised his eyes, he looked much more calm and in control.

"Good," I told him. "Then let's go."

With a squeeze to his hand, I led him up the steps to the front door.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Can't you just picture the stuff at the beginning between Emmett & Edward? Too cute! ;)**

**Are you as nervous as Edward is about his first meeting face to face with Charlie? Eek!**

**I found out last night that my dad has cancer – thyroid. He's having surgery to remove it and a couple of lymph nodes around it, but apparently he should be fine. Still, I'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers.**

**Ok, head on over to see Sarge & Charlie. – Jenny**


	156. Chapter 156: Edward

**A/N #1: Okay, so this starts some really fun chapters for me...from the Sarge point of view of things. It's a peek into Bella's history, meeting Charlie, and Forks in general.**

**~oOo~**

**Forks... Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 6:47 P.M.**

Despite my never-ending respect for Bella's father, I was nervous as hell walking up to the front door. He'd been cool to me on the phone back when Bella had come to Tampa, but now that I was actually _living_ with his daughter, I wasn't so sure how much more he could put up with. And that last reason was why my bag was still in the car. I didn't want to force my way into his home and shove my relationship with Bella down his throat, so I would be joining the rest of them at the hotel tonight.

Swallowing nervously, I gave Bella's hand a squeeze when the front door flew open. But if anything relaxed me, it was the reaction that came from the people around me. He was tall, with hair just a shade darker than Bella's, but their eyes were exactly the same – deep, dark brown, holding a warmth for the people standing on his front lawn.

"Charlie!" they all called, causing the man to chuckle.

"Hey, Dad," Bella giggled.

Emmett was the first to move, grinning as he enveloped Charlie in a rough, one-armed hug. "You're a sight for sore eyes, old man," he teased, laughing when Charlie punched his arm.

"Watch that 'old man' nonsense, Em," he warned, smirking at Jasper. "Glad to see you home safe, boys."

"It's good to be home, Charlie," Jasper agreed, shaking his hand.

I had to smile at the red tint to his cheeks when Alice and Rose flew into his embrace, kissing his cheeks. It seemed Bella received that trait honestly from him.

With a tug on my hand from Bella, she pulled us closer, letting go once her dad set his sights on us. She rushed to him, hugging him and kissing his cheek. And the love he had for his daughter was written all over that man's face as he gazed down at her.

"Dad, this is Edward. Edward, this is my dad," she introduced.

I felt like I was being inspected from head to toe under a microscope, but he held out his hand, and I shook it firmly.

"Chief Swan." I nodded to him. "It's nice to finally meet you, sir. And congratulations."

He grinned, another touch of pink caressing his cheeks. "You, too. And thank you." He turned to face us all. "Sue's been smelling up the whole house with that cookin' of hers. So everyone come on in. If I don't eat soon, I'm sure she'll break my fingers for stealing tastes."

Like children, Emmett and Jasper barreled into the house, making more noise than probably necessary, but Alice, Rose, and Bella followed them in quietly. Charlie, however, stopped me before I entered the house.

"I'm glad to see that silly-ass smile is still on her face," he stated, locking gazes with me, but his mouth curled at the corners.

"Yes, sir," I said with a nervous chuckle. As much as the guys sang Charlie's laid-back praises, I really didn't want to fuck this up. He meant the world to Bella, and his approval of me was imperative.

"Hmmph," he grunted noncommittally. I started for the door once more, but he stopped me again. "And I'm pretty sure I remember telling you to call me Charlie," he said, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

A waft of chili and cornbread ghosted out through the front door, and both of us stopped to inhale deeply.

"Yeah, she's been killin' me today," he muttered, smirking at my chuckle. "Come on, soldier. Maybe she'll speed things up now that you're all here."

Grinning, I hitched Bella's bag higher up on my shoulder and nodded. "I can understand. I've been smacked with a spoon more times than I can count since I've been home."

He laughed and nodded. "That's my girl." He snickered, wearing a proud-as-fuck expression. "Come on in, son."

~oooOOOooo~

"More, Edward?" Sue offered as she set two bowls down for Jasper and Emmett.

I was pretty sure we were all going to finish off the whole pot of chili she'd made. The last of the jalapeno cornbread was already divided up among us.

"Please," I said with a nod, handing her my second empty bowl.

Sue Clearwater was a calm, sweet, easygoing woman with a sweet smile and a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. Her skin was a light russet color, her hair long and black. It was clear why the chief was so smitten with her. She was instantly likeable. She'd welcomed us all in like we were her own, hugging Jasper and Emmett and gushing that she was happy to have them home safe. She'd greeted me with a hug, not a handshake, welcoming me to the family. With a giggle, she dragged the girls off to the kitchen immediately to catch up on all the latest gossip.

Rose scoffed, glaring at Emmett. "You are _so_ getting another hotel room tonight, Emmett," she grumbled, rolling her eyes at his shameless grin. "You'll be smelling up the whole joint."

The table burst into laughter. Emmett's appetite and the results afterward were notorious, it seemed. The table was loud, different conversations divided several different ways. For a quiet man, Charlie seemed to revel in it. I could tell he held a special place in his heart for the girls but was just as interested to listen to stories from the guys and me from overseas.

When dinner was over, the girls and Sue ran off to a back room to talk about the upcoming wedding, leaving all the men to gather in the living room in front of the TV. Glancing around the house, I could see why Bella loved living here the last few years of her high school days. The house gave off a comfortable vibe, as did Charlie himself. Whereas my childhood was filled with rooms I wasn't supposed to be in, this house felt like open arms. But it was the framed pictures on the mantle that caught my eye.

Pictures of Bella at just about every age overlapped one another – Bella with birthday cake on her face as she sat in a highchair, with missing front teeth, with a string full of fish, with a hideously yellow cap and gown, and finally...with a black cap and gown. The latter had to have been her graduation from college. It was quite obvious that most of the photos were not taken in Washington; the sun was too bright, and desert sand replaced green trees.

"So...Charlie," Emmett started with a grin. "We hittin' the strip clubs in Port Angeles or what? Gotta go out of this long-lived bachelorhood with a bang, you know."

"No, he's not!" every female voice in the house chimed in from the other room.

I laughed, shaking my head at Charlie's expression of pure horror.

"Damn, Em, you really have a death wish." Jasper chuckled, shaking his head. "And no, no strippers. I think we're all supposed to meet in La Push, right, Chief?" he asked.

"Yes, Saturday night. It's a rehearsal dinner of sorts," Charlie replied in relief. "But tomorrow...the shooting range." He grinned. "Bells, did you bring your gun?"

"You know I did," she laughed, leaning in the doorway. "It's in the trunk with Edward's."

I nodded in agreement. Bella owned a Glock 19, bought for her by her father. It was a beautiful piece, easy to fire. Seeing her handle it, check it, only to snap it all back together before packing it had caused me to lose my mind. And it was why she was most likely standing there wearing a shit-eating grin because I hadn't been able to stop myself from kissing the shit out of her...and then some. We'd almost been late getting ready before everyone had met at our house.

I raised a threatening eyebrow up at her, but she only giggled, shrugging one shoulder.

"We'd better go," Alice said, walking into the living room to tug Jasper to his feet. "We still have to check in at the hotel."

The heartbroken look on Bella's face was impossible to miss as she sighed and nodded. "Come on, babe. I'll go with you to get your bag out of the car."

Charlie eyed his daughter and then looked to me. I could tell right then that he'd hand her the world – within reason. "Edward, why don't you take the couch? There's still the rest of the game to watch. Besides, these two will kill me with wedding talk." He gestured between Sue and Bella but also to the TV, where the football game was still in the fourth quarter.

Bella had been absolutely certain that Charlie wouldn't have allowed us in the same room together, despite the fact that her old bedroom only held a twin size bed, so we'd planned on separating for the night. It was something we'd come to terms with, but apparently, Bella's pitiful face had melted him – and that I could completely understand. The woman could get me to do anything for her with just a simple look.

However, I could also see that this was a way of getting me alone, so I thanked him, walking out with everyone else to grab my bag.

I came back inside after waving everyone else off to find a pillow, sheets, and a blanket stacked neatly on the arm of the sofa. Charlie was still in his recliner, his focus on the game. I set my duffel down and joined him in front of the TV.

The conversation started with sports, slowly moving on from there. It ran the gamut. It wasn't like he talked my head off, but we seemed to have more in common than I'd originally thought. Bella had said we were similar, but I didn't see it until we started to compare military histories.

Right around the time that Bella was just an infant, Charlie had been shipped overseas in the Gulf War. We talked deserts, orders, military strategy, and of course, getting discharged. I told him about my accident with the insurgents and the RPG, and he explained the aerial assaults that the U.S. had used in order to succeed. He was interested in what urban warfare had been like and listened as I explained it to him, including how we trained the new troops in Tampa.

Emmett and Jasper had been right. Charlie was extremely cool, with a wry sense of humor. He was so much like Bella with his quiet intelligence that it was almost scary. They thought alike, approached issues alike – with determination and strength.

By the time the game was over, Sue and Bella emerged from what I now realized was Charlie's bedroom.

"Can I have my room back now, ladies?" he teased them.

"Yes, yes," Sue sighed, rolling her eyes. "We're all done in there. I'm going home. I have to make sure my son didn't eat the entire contents of my fridge."

Bella came to stand between my legs, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "I'm going to bed, babe. See you in the morning. I'll make breakfast for you guys."

Charlie's eyebrows shot up, but he looked like Emmett did at the mention of Bella's cooking as she kissed his forehead, too. However, after walking Sue to her car, Charlie waited until Bella had given me one last quick kiss before heading up the stairs. He pointed in the direction of the bathroom and told me to make myself at home.

"But not..._too_ much at home," he warned, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Sir," I said with a grin and a nod. "Thanks for letting me stay."

He harrumphed, rolling his eyes. "Can't tell that girl no for nothin'," he murmured, finally leaving me alone for the night.

I changed into sweatpants and a tank undershirt, finishing up my nightly routine before heading out to make up the sofa for the night. The house was quiet except for the hum of the fridge in the kitchen and the tick of the clock on the mantle. The vibration of my phone on the end table almost made me jump, but when I saw that it was from Bella, I grinned. My girl couldn't sleep.

_B: I love you...but I hate sleeping alone._

I shook my head, replying back instantly, never mind that she was merely upstairs.

_E: I love you, too, beautiful, but I'm not getting shot._

_B: LOL He'd only shoot to maim._

_E: Um...no. I know exactly what part he'd maim. I'm way too attached to all of my parts, Miss Swan. As are you, if I'm not mistaken._

_B: ;) Yeah, I love all your parts, Sarge. Some more than others. Can't I at least get a real goodnight kiss?_

I groaned, understanding Charlie completely now. There was not a chance in hell I would be able to tell that beautiful thing upstairs no. Not at all. Ever. I was doomed to be owned by her for the rest of my life, and I couldn't find a single reason to complain about it, either, because I could well imagine the sweet, pitiful look in those deep brown eyes I loved so damned much – begging, pleading for just a simple kiss.

My phone alerted silently again, and I chuckled softly.

_B: Please? Meet me on the stairs!_

Surrendering to her, I sighed.

_E: You'd better BE QUIET! :(_

Setting my phone down, I sat up, listening hard for any noise coming from Charlie's room, but I heard nothing aside from a soft snore. Padding barefoot across the room, I made my way to the stairs, only to come face to face with Bella. She was on the last step, which put her level with my eyes.

"Hi, handsome," she whispered, reaching for my face. "I think I'm spoiled, and you've only been home for two weeks."

Grinning, I couldn't help but love hearing that from her because I felt exactly the same way. Nothing felt as good as curling myself around her every night. Despite her protestations to the contrary, I hoped I hadn't been driving her crazy since I'd moved in, but at night... At night, we were perfect and comfortable and easy.

"I heard a rumor about a kiss," I whispered back, brushing my nose up one side of hers and down the other.

"Yeah..." she breathed back, smiling like a little imp because she'd gotten her way.

It was slow, deep, and breathtaking, as always. It took all the control I had to focus on where I was and not what just her mere touch, her presence, her taste was doing to me. My hands, though, roamed without any shame – down her shoulders, across her back, and down to her bottom, cupping it fully and squeezing. I slowed her down because I really, really didn't want to get busted.

Pulling back, I rested my forehead to hers, just reveling in the flush of her cheeks and the heaviness of her breathing.

"I think Dad likes you," she whispered, brushing her lips across mine once, twice, and finally a third time.

"He won't if he sees me molesting his daughter on his stairs," I snickered. "Go to bed, sweet girl."

"Thank you for coming here with me," she breathed against my mouth.

"Thanks for the kiss. Bed. Go!" I urged softly, grinning at her happy smirk. I turned her around by the shoulders, giving her plump ass a soft smack. "Go before you get me killed."

She glanced over her shoulder. "Tease."

"What did you say once? It's not teasing if you follow through?" I hissed back, still pointing up the stairs. "Believe me, I'll be happy to make it up to you..._at home_."

That last statement seemed to placate her, so she blew me a kiss before tiptoeing silently up the stairs. I waited until the click of her door echoed down the stairs before going back to the sofa.

_Fuck, it was going to be a long ass weekend._

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Two men who can't help but spoil Bella. LOL They both know they're whipped. ;)**

**Okay, so some of you are ready for proposals, weddings, babies. O.o Sarge just got home, guys, and he's just met Charlie. Trust me, Jenny and I have a plan. You just have to have patience. :)**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	157. Chapter 157: Bella

**A/N #1: Thank you guys so much for the love and the well-wishes for my dad. Every bit of it is much appreciated! This chapter's a bit all over the place with a lot of fun interaction, so enjoy!**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, October 15, 2010 at 7:13 A.M.**

Quietly, I crept down the stairs, avoiding the fourth from the bottom – it had squeaked for as long as I could remember, no matter how much work Charlie put into fixing it. I could tell my dad was still asleep. His snores were loud enough to be heard through the closed bedroom door. I wasn't sure about Edward, though. He was still used to waking up early, even when he didn't have to.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I didn't see him sitting up, so I tiptoed over to the couch. My heart flipped when I realized he was asleep, sprawled out on his stomach in his sweats and white tank. The light blanket had slipped down until it was tangled near his thighs, and he had one hand under the pillow and the other tucked under his cheek. There was just enough light coming in through the curtained window to see the slightly wrinkled brow and small frown on his still-gorgeous face. I carefully pulled the blanket up, slipping it up and over him to drape it across his upper back. It was cool in the house, and I wanted to make sure he was warm enough.

Giving him one last look, I stepped around the end table and made my way to the kitchen to start breakfast. I was planning to do pancakes – lots of them, since I knew the rest of them would be over as soon as the girls got out of bed. They wouldn't be too loud to make, so I figured I'd be able to mix the batter and start making the rest of breakfast without waking Edward or my dad.

I had two large bowls of batter mixed on the counter and I was folding chocolate chips into one of them when I heard shuffling behind me. Before I could turn around, warm, strong arms slipped around my waist, pulling me back against a hard chest.

"Morning, Sarge," I murmured. "Did I wake you?"

His head fell to mine, his cheek ruffling my hair as he shook his head. "Nope. When did you get up?"

I dropped the rest of the chocolate in and turned in his arms, wrapping my own around his waist. When I looked up, I couldn't help but giggle. The poor man looked so sleep-rumpled that he was almost too cute for words. His hair – which had finally begun to grow long enough for my taste – was standing on end. He had a days' worth of growth on his face, which made him even more sexy. But the best part were the lines and creases across his cheek from where his head had rested on his pillow. He looked sleepy but happy, and his eyes were bright as they watched me watch him.

Reaching up, I traced one of the lines on his cheek lightly with my finger. "I haven't been up long. How'd you sleep, babe? You looked comfortable when I peeked in on you a few minutes ago."

He nodded, leaning down to brush his lips across mine. "It was fine," he said with a shrug. "Lonely." He winked at my giggle, kissing me again. "How about you, sweetheart? Miss me?"

Twining my arms around his neck, I nodded as I pulled him down to meet my lips, needing more than just a soft peck or two.

Edward took the hint and slowly caressed my mouth as he pulled me more firmly against him. When I sighed in contentment, his tongue slid between my now-parted lips and coaxed and teased until I was putty in his hands, which moved up to tangle in my hair. Tilting my head, he took the kiss deeper, ravaging my mouth with soft nips and licks with every pause to draw a breath.

When we finally pulled apart, my head was spinning, and I could feel every long, hard inch of him pressed firmly against me from our hips to our thighs. I purred, rolling my hips once, but the purr turned into a giggle when Edward groaned.

"Oh, Isabella," he huffed, pulling back and piercing me with a heated stare. "As much as I would love to continue this...there's no way I'm going to risk having your father walk in on...that particular activity."

I laughed, nodding. "Yeah...he was nice in offering you the couch. I'm not sure he'd be very happy to come in and see me bent over the kitchen table – as fun as that sounds."

Edward groaned again, reaching between us to adjust himself before backing off slightly. "So whatcha cookin'? And do you need some help?"

Turning back to the counter, I picked up the spatula and began mixing the chocolate chips in with the rest of the batter. "Pancakes, bacon, sausage, and scrambled cheesy eggs sound okay?"

"Perfect. What can I do? I'm at your service."

I directed him to get the sausage and bacon out of the fridge so we could start frying those up. I figured the rest of them would be along soon. The pancakes could be kept warm in the oven, as could the meats, but the eggs I would need to do last minute. He grabbed a cup of coffee, refilling mine and doctoring it perfectly with milk and sugar before getting to work.

We quickly settled into a routine – Edward beside me working the skillet of meat while I dropped ladles of chocolate chip pancakes onto the griddle. The other, plain batter would come next, and I planned to put blueberries in some and leave the rest plain for Charlie, who was a purist.

I had just slid the aluminum foil-covered platter of pancakes back into a warm oven when Charlie came walking into the kitchen. He was already dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved, red flannel shirt. "Morning," he mumbled, heading directly to the coffee pot and pouring himself a cup.

"Morning, Dad," I said, smiling at him over my shoulder. "Breakfast will be ready soon."

"Smells good," he grunted, taking a seat at the small kitchen table. "The others coming over to eat?"

I shrugged. "I believe so, yeah. They should be here any—"

"Knock, knock!" Alice's greeting was way too chirpy for this early in the morning.

"Yo, Bellsy, what's for breakfast?" Emmett's loud, booming voice was just as perky as Alice's.

I shook my head with a smile, turning back to the stove to pull the last two pancakes off the griddle. "The usual, Em. Morning, guys."

There were greetings all around, with kisses on the top of Charlie's head from Alice and Rose, shoulder pats from the boys, and fist bumps from Edward to them both. Sue knocked once before walking into the house, saying hello to everyone, and giving Charlie a kiss good morning.

For a few minutes, it was chaos. The kitchen was always small, but crammed with eight adults – one of which was Emmett – it felt tiny. I directed traffic as best I could, finally ordering the guys to carry the table out to the living room, where we could sit some around the table and still talk with the others, who could sit on the couch and eat off their laps.

By the time we all sat down in the living room, I was exhausted again. Charlie sat at one end of the table, with Sue to his right. I was beside her, with Edward beside me. Alice and Rose squeezed in between my dad and Edward, leaving Jasper and Emmett to grab spots on the couch, which they did happily, their plate piled high with food.

The room was pretty quiet as food was passed around. Edward groaned happily as he slid three of the chocolate chip pancakes onto his plate, dousing them with syrup. He took a big bite before he even dished up his eggs, bacon, and sausage. I took the plate of meat from him, added two strips of bacon and two sausage links to my plate of eggs and pancakes – I'd opted for one each of the chocolate chip and blueberry – and then passed it to Sue, who smiled.

"This looks great, Bella. I had planned on being here early enough to help cook, but my car wouldn't start. I had to call Jake to come over and take a look."

Edward froze beside me at the mention of Jacob's name, and I slid my hand from where it had been resting beside my plate down to his thigh, squeezing gently.

"What's wrong with the car?" Charlie asked, oblivious to how tense Edward had gotten.

As Sue began explaining about some loose spark plug or something, I leaned over and kissed Edward's cheek, moving back to whisper in his ear. "Simmer down, babe," I teased. "You'll have time to intimidate him this weekend, I promise."

Edward grinned like he'd won the lottery, and I chuckled and sat back up in my seat, picking my fork up once more. I kept my hand on his thigh as a reminder that I was there and I was his, smiling back at him when he turned his head slightly and winked.

"So, Sue," Alice started a few minutes later, "the wedding is Sunday afternoon, right? Where are you holding it?"

I listened as Sue answered Alice's question about the wedding being on the reservation, down near the ocean.

"If it rains, we have a back up plan in place to have it indoors at the community center there. The guest list is small, so everyone should know where to go if need be," Sue explained. "By the way, Alice. I got a note from your mother. I was so sad to hear that she and your dad wouldn't be at the wedding."

"Oh, that's right," Charlie said, brushing crumbs from his mustache. "Your folks are gone to Haiti, right?"

Alice nodded. "Mom said it's just a mess over there. She's heartbroken at the destruction and at how many people, how many families and children, have been uprooted, their lives changed so drastically. I think it's really getting to her already, even though they haven't been there long."

"Please give them both our best and thank them for the lovely blanket and the Seahawks tickets."

I could only imagine the reaction that gift had gotten from both my dad and Sue, since both were big fans of the Seattle football team.

"Of course! I'll be sure to tell them the next time we talk. They said they would call again in a couple of weeks, if not sooner."

Once everyone was finished eating, Rose and Alice volunteered their husbands to move the table back into the kitchen.

"We'll put the food away while they wash dishes, Bella," Alice said, standing and grabbing her plate and Edward's. "Since you guys cooked, you can relax."

I looked at Edward and shrugged, and then we stood up and switched places with the boys, settling into one end of the couch. Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulder as I leaned into him, watching as my dad and Sue helped the girls carry everything from the table into the kitchen so Emmett and Jasper could grab the table.

When my dad and Sue came back into the living room, she settled onto the other end of the couch, and he sat back in his recliner, pulling the foot rest out and relaxing back into the seat. After a moment, he looked at Edward and spoke.

"So Bells told me you decided to go back to school?"

Edward nodded. "Yes, sir. Well, technically _to_ school, not _back_ to school. I've not been at all since I joined the Army right out of high school."

Charlie nodded thoughtfully, stroking his mustache. "You decided against the Seattle PD? I know they can use a few new men."

Tightening his arm around me, Edward shook his head. "I thought about it and decided that wasn't the right move for me – for us." With a smile, he said, "Going to school is the right option. I've always loved music, and I think I'll love working with kids, so becoming a music teacher is the best choice all around."

"You won't miss the action and excitement?"

I started to protest because I didn't want Edward feeling pressured, but he tugged me back against him and rubbed my arm with his hand.

"It's okay, Bella. Your dad just wants to make sure you're happy, and if I'm not content with my choice, I'll make you unhappy."

Charlie huffed a bit and nodded.

Turning back to my dad, Edward said, "I won't." He shook his head and sighed. "I've seen enough action and excitement of that nature to last me a lifetime. What I want now more than anything is to settle down, have a home and a family, and spend the rest of my life making Bella as happy as she makes me."

With tears in my eyes, I leaned up and kissed his jaw lightly, the scruff tickling my lips. Settling back into my seat, I half-tuned my dad and Edward out as they started talking football. Sue was reading a book she'd picked up from the end table, so I let my mind wander, just happy and content to be where I was right at that moment.

~oooOOOooo~

I was pulling my hair back into a ponytail when Edward came into the room, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, the sleeves pushed up on his forearms.

"Your dad and the guys are ready to go."

"'Kay," I said, standing from my seat on the edge of the bed. "Rose and Alice left while you were in the shower. They are going to check on her parents' house. Sue went back to the reservation to work on some last-minute wedding details."

"Sounds good. Ready to show me what you've got, sweet girl?"

Making my way to him, I ran my hands up his arms, wrapping my fingers around his biceps. "Mmhmm. You may have the guns," I teased, "but I'm gonna kick your ass at the range, Sarge."

Edward's eyes twinkled as he laughed, shaking his head. "We'll see about that, Isabella. Remember, I've been practicing with a gun for the last seven years."

Stretching up on my tip-toes, I kissed him and then quickly turned and jogged down the stairs, calling over my shoulder, "Yes, but I've got the natural talent!"

I heard him laughing moments before his footsteps echoed on the stairs behind me.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Aww at sleepy Sarge. I also was excited to have a bit more Edward/Charlie time and the start of what is brilliant smack talk about the shooting range, which is up next. ;)**

**Leave us some love, and then head on over to see the goodies. – Jenny**


	158. Chapter 158: Edward

**A/N #1: Dear Lord, you gotta love a sleepy-sweet Sarge in the morning. ;) Oh, you guys knew I had to let it loose with the shooting range, right? Have fun...I did. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Forks... Friday, October 15, 2010 at 3:23 P.M.**

"Oh, it is so on, Bellybutton!" Emmett crowed, playfully shoving Bella once we'd all piled out into the shooting range parking lot. "Full clip, fifty meter range, best score. Loser buys the beer."

"Done. And I don't want to hear any whining about it when you lose," Bella barked back with a smug but sexy-as-hell grin.

"I hope she turns the gun on him," Jasper sighed wistfully. "That would be worth...I don't know...at _least_ two pitchers down at the lodge."

Charlie cracked the fuck up, as did I. We were still laughing when we stepped inside the building.

"Charlie!" an older man greeted with a smile, coming around from behind a large counter. "I hear congratulations are in order, Chief. I believe Sunday is the big day, yeah?"

"Yeah, Dave," the chief confirmed with a chuckle, his cheeks tinging pink. "Umm, you remember Bella, Emmett, and Jasper. And this is Edward."

We all waved in greeting.

"The kids are here to get me away from colors, flowers, and cake. If I hear one more thing about seating arrangements, I might just snap."

Dave laughed, slapping Charlie's shoulder. "You got it. Anything you need."

"Pistol ranges...and I believe an outdoor rifle range," Charlie told him, turning to eye the case hanging on my shoulder like a kid waiting to open presents on Christmas morning.

Bella had told me that her father loved his guns, so I'd brought the two I'd bought in Afghanistan – a sniper rifle and my handgun, both Russian. He'd only caught a glimpse of them, so I knew his curiosity was about to get the better of him.

"You'll want at least three hundred meters, Charlie." I chuckled as his eyes grew.

"Scope?" he asked, his eyes wide and his smile even wider.

"Yes, sir," I answered with a nod.

Bella's father rubbed his hands together, making her giggle and roll her eyes. "We'd better hurry before he explodes," she teased, ducking his hand before he could ruffle her hair.

"The place is yours," Dave said graciously. "I'm dead today. Consider it a wedding present."

Charlie thanked him profusely, but the guy wouldn't hear it. He just led us down the back hall out into the pistol ranges. There were several booths, not to mention a door that clearly led to the outdoor ranges.

"Let's go, Bellsy," Emmett ordered playfully, pointing to two spots. "I wanna see if you still got it or if those third graders have made you soft."

"You're gonna want to watch that," Jasper muttered, wearing a wry smirk. "Seriously, Sarge."

"Okay." I laughed, shaking my head. "Then I'll let you and Charlie take this," I said, laying my rifle case down on an empty table. I assembled it quickly, attaching the scope to the top. "You might want to adjust that. It could've gotten bumped around in shipping."

"I'll handle it," Jasper chuckled. "Ready, Charlie?"

"Absolutely," he replied, picking up my rifle and testing the weight, the sight, and the feel of it against his shoulder.

"I want..." Bella started, suddenly at my side. She glanced up at me. "I want to try that."

I chuckled, kissing her temple as the two of them left out a side door. "First things first, sweet girl. Show me what you can do with your own, and then we'll go outside. I want in on this bet."

"Sweet!" Emmett crowed, setting up another paper target and sending it down to fifty meters.

I really just wanted to see her shoot that weapon she was currently checking. It would be worth any amount of beer just to see her fire it.

"Test rounds first," she said with a giggle. "It's been weeks for you two. It's been _months_ for me."

"Whatever you want, Bellsy," Emmett chuckled, laying his gun down. He had one identical to mine. We'd bought them at the same time.

We stepped back, leaning against the table behind her, all of us pulling protection over our ears. Her stance, her posture, and her aim were fucking perfect. Charlie had taught her well. Her arms flexed as she went with the slight kick of her gun.

When she was finished, Emmett and I raced to the button to bring her target forward. Shoving him out of the way, much to Bella's amusement, I tugged the paper down.

"Damn," I murmured, shaking my head. For a test round, she was fucking on-target with almost every shot. The cluster was mostly around the center of the silhouette. There was one stray in the middle of the forehead. "She shoots better than some of the men we were with."

"No shit," Emmett snorted into a loud laugh. "I told you, man! Now...let's do this!"

Emmett was readying his weapon, but I turned to Bella. "That's really..."

"What?" she snickered, raising an eyebrow up at me.

"Fucking sexy," I growled low, shaking my head. "We're so doing this again when we get back to Seattle."

"Sounds like a really romantic date, Sarge," she teased, pushing me out of her booth. "Go!"

The rather large room was filled with shots from our three guns. I was pretty happy with my target when it came time to compare. In fact, we were all damn close, though Dave declared Bella the winner before it could end up a big bickering session between me and Emmett.

Bella finally settled it herself. "_I'll_ buy a round of beer...if you let me try that," she said, pointing to my handgun.

"C'mere," I chuckled, setting up a new target. I placed her in front of me after reloading and then put the weapon in her hands. "This has a stronger kickback than you're used to with the Glock, beautiful," I said softly in her ear, running my hands down her arms to make sure she was relaxed. "Fire off one round so you can see, okay?"

I took a small step back, but I braced her hips. Bella fired off one round, nodding almost imperceptibly to herself.

"That is different," she murmured, but she brought the gun up and fired a few more rounds. "I like it, but it's different."

"How'd you do?" Emmett asked, bringing her target forward. "Not bad, B. Not bad at all," he praised her.

The shots weren't as clustered as they were with her own weapon, but every shot was inside the silhouette of the target. They were right; Bella was a natural.

"Nice job, love," I purred.

After a little bit more playing around – because I absolutely had to try her Glock – Bella insisted that we go outside. I knew she wanted to try the sniper, but I was pretty sure she just wanted to watch her dad enjoying himself – which he was, tremendously.

I had to grin at how well Charlie was handling the sniper. It looked like ten years had fallen off of his face with the smile he was sporting, not to mention the ribbing Jasper and Emmett were giving him.

"C'mon, Chief," Jasper chuckled. "You gonna apply for transfer to S.W.A.T.?"

"Bad ass, Charlie!" Emmett laughed. "You should just start one here."

"In Forks?" Bella and Charlie both asked at the same time.

"Emmett, you've been here enough to notice that there isn't exactly any hostile hostage situations," Bella huffed, rolling her eyes.

Charlie grinned but stood up straight at the sound of her voice. "So...who buys the beer?"

"Edward and Emmett do," Bella said smugly, squeaking when I tickled her sides. "But I'm buying a pitcher, too."

"What? Why? Did you miss?" he asked her.

The whole thing made me laugh. "No, sir. She did it in trade to try my Makarov pistol."

He grinned. "How was it?"

"Different." She shrugged and pointed to the rifle. "He's going to teach me this thing."

"Careful, Bells," he sighed, looking to me. "She's never fired a rifle. She never wanted to go hunting."

"Got it," I told him. "Bella, come here," I instructed, pulling her between me and the table Charlie had been using. I lined her up behind the high-powered weapon, bracing my hands on either side of her. "This is different. It braces against your shoulder, so you have to really relax with it." I tapped the scope. "Aim the cross-hairs up with your target, but don't rest your eye on the eye-piece. Got me? You'll end up with a black eye."

"Well, that would look fantastic for the wedding," she muttered wryly, making us all chuckle.

"Right, so focus, but don't rest on it. Aiming this is different," I said softly. "The distance plays a big part, and then you have to take the wind into consideration. Anything can happen to knock the bullet off course between here and there. Okay?"

She nodded, looking at me out of the corner of her eye nervously.

"Relax, sweetheart," I said, resting the butt of the gun at her shoulder. "You'll be fine. Just go with the kick."

She took a deep breath, lined up her sight, and then pulled the trigger. The result was an adorable look of pride all over her face when she at least hit the target. I suddenly wanted to just kiss the ever-loving shit out of her. And had we been alone, I might've done just that, which only made me damn sure we were doing this again.

Charlie, Jasper, and Emmett whooped in praise, but I tugged her ponytail, giving her a wink.

"Try it again," I told her, leaning down to her ear. "This time, look at the flag over there. Counter the wind." I clicked the sight a little for her. "You want to almost be off target..._into_ the wind. Okay?" I verified, and she nodded, but I could read my girl like a damn book. The darkening of her eyes, the slow lick of her bottom lip only to latch onto it with her teeth told me everything – that I wasn't the only one that thought this shit was fucking sexy. "Later, sweet girl," I vowed so very softly, nudging her. "One more time, baby."

Bella nodded fervently this time, wearing a silly, sweet smile as she aimed. She was much more relaxed for her second try, the shot going off loudly. Her grin said it all as she looked through the scope to see where she'd hit.

"Let me see," Charlie chuckled, peeking through the scope himself. "Well, hot damn... Nice job, Bells."

We spent another hour or so playing around, both inside and out. Bella's shot only got better the more she practiced with my guns. We made more bets, talked more trash, but in the end, we just ended up having an amazing time. Not only was it something I'd never done outside of the service, but it was nice to watch Charlie interact with his daughter. They respected each other, almost spoke their own language.

By the time the sun was starting to set, Dave was ready to close up. We thanked him for everything because he still wouldn't hear of payment. He merely gave Charlie best wishes for the wedding and gave Bella a hug, congratulating her on a job well done.

"Beer time!" Emmett boomed as we made our way to the car.

"Sounds good," Charlie agreed with a nod. "I think we have time before Sue starts dinner. Come on...first pitcher's on me."

"Not too many," Bella said, sounding like the voice of reason. "Don't you boys have to be up before the butt crack of dawn tomorrow?"

I laughed but looked to Charlie because, in all honesty, he was leading this show.

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "I hear ya, Bells. But one or two won't stop us from fishing tomorrow. Come on."

"Bye, bye, bachelorhood," Emmett said sadly, wiping at a fake tear. "No more late nights, beers with the boys, or weekend fishing trips. Now it'll be honey-do lists, holding purses while shopping, and the Food Network on TV."

Charlie's smile fell just a little, causing Bella to smother her giggle with her hand.

"Now you really need that beer," I snorted into a laugh.

"Um, yeah," he agreed. "Let's go. We'll decide what time we're heading out in the morning."

I'd been worried about go out in a boat with Charlie ever since he'd mentioned it on the phone, but after the time spent at the shooting range, I could see why Emmett and Jasper sang his praises. He went from a straight-laced police officer and the father of a beautiful girl to just...one of the guys. Now, I was actually looking forward to going fishing tomorrow.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Someone asked if Charlie had to work... Ummm, no. He's getting married, which means these two are kinda separated for a bit. Poor things. Fishing tomorrow...and some girl gossip. ;)**

**There are pics of Edward's and Bella's guns up in the usual places, so check our profile for links.**

**We'll see you in the morning. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	159. Chapter 159: Bella

**A/N #1: I loved this chapter. It's girl time because the boys are out fishing. So enjoy this extra long chapter! :)**

**~oOo~**

**Forks... Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 12:14 P.M.**

"Have you heard from Edward?" Rose asked, plopping down beside me on the couch.

Pulling my feet up under me, I swallowed the bite I'd just taken from the sandwich in my hand and then shook my head. "I haven't heard from him yet, but he warned me that my dad told him service might be spotty out on the lake. Since he hadn't been to Lake Crescent in years, he wasn't sure."

The guys had all left at five thirty this morning to go fishing. Emmett, Jasper, and Edward had surprised him the night before with the knowledge that for his "bachelor party," they were not only taking him over by Port Angeles to fish, but they'd rented a boat for them all and had invited Charlie's best friend, Billy Black, to go along.

Edward had come upstairs to my room just before they left to wake me and tell me goodbye.

"_Bella," a quiet voice murmured, pulling me from a deep sleep. "Wake up, sweetheart."_

_Rolling over, I came face to face with Edward, who was lying beside me on my small twin bed. I quickly realized he'd turned on the small light on the other side of the room so the light wouldn't be directly in my eyes. His elbow was bent, his head propped up on his hand. The soft smile he was wearing was almost at odds with the sparkle in his eyes, his amusement clearly shining out of them._

"_Morning," I mumbled. "What's so funny?"_

"_You were talking in your sleep when I came in. Something about not making you go fishing because you didn't like worms – unless it was mine." His smile grew wide, and he chuckled when I blushed and buried my face in his chest. "It was cute, love."_

"_Yeah, yeah," I said, yawning suddenly. "What time is it?"_

"_Five twenty. The guys just got here, so we're heading out to go to La Push to get Billy and then go fishing. I just had to come up and kiss you goodbye before we left."_

"_Mmm, I'm glad you did." Tilting my head up, I told him, "Kiss me so you can get out of here before my dad comes to find you in my bed."_

_Edward grinned, nodding. "He knows I'm up here, but you're right. Best not to test his good graces."_

_Leaning in, he kissed me softly, just barely brushing his lips across mine. When I reached out and pulled him closer to me, he chuckled against my lips before kissing me more soundly. In deference to the fact that my father was right downstairs, we kept it short. When we broke apart, he kissed my forehead once before climbing to his feet._

"_Get some more sleep, Bella. I'll try to call you later if I can. Love you, sweet girl."_

_Nodding, I mumbled, "Love you, too."_

_I was already settling back down as Edward turned off the light and shut the door quietly behind him._

Sue's voice startled me back into the present. "I don't expect them back for another few hours," she said as she came into the living room and settled into Charlie's chair. "They were going to drive into Port Angeles for lunch and then go back out on the lake as long as everyone was having a good time."

"As long as they're back by five o'clock." Leah, Sue's daughter, shrugged from her seat on the floor in front of her mom. "We're supposed to be over at the reservation by six."

Originally, Charlie had planned to take us all out to dinner at the Lodge, the "fanciest" place in town, but Friday afternoon, Sue had come in with the news that all of their friends were throwing them a rehearsal dinner of sorts – a party at the community center in La Push. There was going to be food, music, basketball, and even a big screen TV set up to play video games if anyone wanted since there wasn't a game on.

"They'll be back," Sue assured her, smiling mysteriously.

Alice laughed. "What's that smile about? How are you so sure they'll be back in time?"

Sue's smile grew before she answered Alice's question. "I told Charlie if he missed it, the wedding night would be awfully cold and lonely."

Leah and I looked at each other for a second, and then as one, we said, "Eww! Too much information!"

Everyone in the room cracked up laughing, including the two of us.

While we finished eating, we started catching up. Alice and I had known Sue and Leah for years, and once Rose started coming to Forks with us, she had gotten to know them, as well. We really liked them both a lot. Sue was warm, funny, kind of a smart ass, and the perfect complement to my dad. Leah was a lot like her mother. She'd gone through a rough patch in high school after her father died suddenly of a heart attack. It was like for a year or so, she'd become another person – someone bitter, easily angered, and almost mean on occasion. Once she'd gotten past feeling like her father had abandoned her, she had matured into the woman that sat with us now – lively, vivacious, and sweet, yet still with a bit of an edge about her.

Leah smiled. "I've been seeing the cousin of one of the other ladies on the rez. He came up for a visit a few months ago from Portland, and we hit it off."

Alice asked what he did for a living, and we listened as Leah talked all about her new man – Sam's job as a rookie police officer, his family, and the dates they'd been on.

"Plus, he's packing," she finished a grin, her eyes alight with amusement at the groan from Sue. "Not so fun hearing about your daughter's sex life, huh, Mom?"

Once Sue looked properly abashed, I brought a subject that I'd been wondering about. "Hey, Sue," I started, smiling when she raised an eyebrow in question. "My dad hasn't mentioned it, and I guess I just assumed I knew the answer, but where will you guys be living after tomorrow? Will you move in here or will he move there?"

She smiled slightly. "We weren't sure for a while. We finally decided, though, that I would move in here. Because of his job, he needs to be closer to town than he would be if he were living on the reservation."

"And, um...you don't mind that this is where he lived with my mom?" Then I realized how rude or uncomfortable that might have sounded so I quickly apologized. "Sorry, sorry. You don't have to answer that, really. It was just a random thought in my head."

Sue chuckled, flipping her braid back over her shoulder. "It's all right, Bella. I don't mind." She thought for a moment and then shrugged. "We talked about it – about moving to a new house, I mean. But really, we both have pasts. We can't hide from that. Charlie is the man he is today because of that past. And I have some good memories of this house, too. Harry was a good friend of your father's, and he would come over with Billy a lot to watch the games or cook some fish after a day of being out on the water. I would accompany him sometimes, so a lot of my favorite memories of all of us happened here."

I smiled, remembering one such visit. "Yeah, I remember you guys coming over when I was visiting one summer. I had to have been...what? Eight years old? Leah, do you remember? We refused to eat the fish they'd caught. I don't remember what we had instead..."

"Mac and cheese," Leah supplied, making me grin.

"Yeah! That's right. Seth would have been four, right? He had the mac and cheese, too."

Sue nodded. "The _blue box stuff_, he called it then."

We all laughed.

"How is Seth, by the way? He's been working at the school on the reservation and taking classes, right?" I looked from Sue to Leah and back again.

Smiling, Sue nodded proudly. "He's working on a degree so he can be a teacher. I keep trying to convince him to move to Seattle to finish it up there, but so far, he's been resistant. He keeps telling me he doesn't want to leave me here."

Leah snorted. "More like he doesn't want to leave the free cooking and cleaning."

Sue laughed, agreeing, "Yes, I'm sure that's part of it."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Is he moving in here?"

"Oh, Lord, no," Sue said firmly, shaking her head. "Since Leah has her own house on the rez now, Seth is going to stay at my house over there until...well, until I can convince him to leave for Seattle. Hopefully, once I'm married and living here, he'll realize he doesn't have me as an excuse anymore."

"Send him to us," Rose said, grinning. "We're all there. We'll help him adjust."

We all agreed, making Sue laugh. "I will." She looked at Alice and Rose. "How does it feel to have your husbands home again?"

Without even glancing at one another, my friends sighed. "Great!" they both said decisively, making us all grin.

"I'd forgotten how much of an adjustment it is, though," Rose said with another sigh – although this one was more in exasperation than anything. "I've come bolting awake in the middle of the night twice already because Emmett left the toilet seat up and I forgot to check it before I sat down."

Alice nodded. "And I'd forgotten about the nightmares. Jazz hasn't had many, but they scare me every time – for him, I mean. I'm not worried about myself."

Frowning, I said, "Yeah, Edward is dealing with a few himself. Normally, if I wrap my arms around him, he settles and doesn't even fully wake up. But it's hard seeing him that way. He has trouble getting to sleep, too. Sometimes, I'll wake up in the middle of the night, and he's not in bed. I'll find him in the library with the door closed, playing quietly on the piano."

"I remember Harry telling me years ago that Charlie had those after he got back from the war," Sue mused quietly. "Usually, they do go away, though, so hang in there."

"Besides the nightmares," Leah started, "how is it having Edward with you all the time now?"

I grinned. "It's great, actually. No more eating alone, no more nights spent on the couch wishing and hoping for something I didn't have... We're both having to get used to sharing our space, but we're getting there. Edward's the first man I've lived with since Charlie, so it's an eye-opener."

Alice laughed. "Wet towels on the bathroom floor?"

"Empty cartons of juice and milk in the fridge?" Rose nodded sagely.

"But sex anytime I want it," I said with a shrug. "So there's a trade-off."

"That's definitely a positive," Alice agreed, smiling with Rose nodded fervently.

"It'll be good for Charlie and me to be here...alone." Sue smirked. "You may be out of the house," she told Leah, "but your brother isn't. It's hard to have...private time...when your son is in the other room and aware of what you're doing."

We all laughed except Leah, who cringed again. "Really, Mom? Again with the sex talk?"

Sue shrugged. "What? It's a fact."

"Speaking of sex talk," I said, "how do you guys do it? Edward and I were so...active after they got back that I could barely move the first few days."

"I was sore for over a week," Rose confessed. "Of course, my monkey man's...well...he could run his own three-legged race."

Everyone cracked up, although Leah looked a little jealous. "Sam is a good size, but not _that_ big!"

Alice shook her head.

"You've heard the expression _it's not the size of the boat; it's the motion of the ocean_, right?"

Leah nodded, but Sue looked slightly confused. I knew way more than I cared to about Emmett and Jasper both, thanks to late night girl talk while the guys were away, but I still listened as Alice clapped gleefully, turning to the other ladies.

She continued, "Jasper isn't a...Cockasaurus Rex – I mean, don't get me wrong, he's not small or anything... – but I dare you to find a guy that can give you the big O more than once with nothing but penetration." She smiled smugly. "He's slightly bent and...well, pierced, so..."

Sue and Leah cringed – and they weren't the only ones. I'd known about it already, but every time I heard it, I still felt my stomach roll. I tried to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth as Sue asked why Jasper had gotten that done and _how_ they did it. Leah just laughed as her mother peppered Alice with questions.

By the time the room was quiet again, I looked up, realizing every eye was on me.

"What?" I asked, looking around. "What'd I do?"

Rose wiggled her eyebrow at me. "Spill it, sweetie. You've heard about everyone else's man. You have yet to share about Edward."

Shaking my head, I said, "Hell, no." I laughed. "No way am I sharing anything about Edward's...package."

"Now, Bella," Leah started, all sweet and light. "We've all told you everything about our men. It's only fair that you let us in on Edward's big secret."

Alice gasped. "Or is that it? Is Edward hiding a teeny weenie?"

I giggled but shook my head no, not giving them any more than that. It was so much fun holding out and teasing them.

"Give it up, sweetie," Rose said firmly. "We won't let it go until you do."

Finally, I decided I could give them two words that would satisfy every one of their curiosities. "Two hands," I said smugly.

They were all quiet for a minute, and then every single one of them burst into laughter.

"Nice!" Rose finally said, nodding.

"But does he know how to use it?" Alice grinned.

Finally giving up all the goods, I shrugged and answered simply, "Like a baseball bat attached to a jack hammer."

We all laughed for a long time after that.

~oooOOOooo~

By four thirty, the guys had called to say they were heading back. Leah and Sue had gone back to Sue's house to shower and change. They would just meet us there since the community center was only a few blocks from her house. When they left, I jumped in the shower, wanting to be out before the guys got home so they would have the time and hot water to get ready themselves.

I was standing in front of the mirror, fixing my hair before doing my makeup, when Edward knocked on the door.

"Bella, we're back."

Grinning, I pulled open the bathroom door. "Hi, Sarge."

I started to reach for him, but he shook his head, taking a step back. "You're looking and smelling all kinds of good, baby...but I..." He took a whiff down the front of his shirt and pretended to gag. "I am not. Mind if I jump in the shower while you are finishing getting ready?"

In answer, I opened the door completely and stepped back so he could maneuver around me without touching me with his stinky, sweaty, fishy clothes.

"Thanks," he said, laughing as he leaned in and kissed me again on his way by.

"Mmm, I have selfish reasons, babe," I teased, winking as he reached back and pulled the T-shirt up and over his head in what had to be one of the sexiest moves a guy could make.

He laughed as he unbuttoned his jeans and, hooking his thumbs in the waistband, pulled both them and his boxer-briefs down in one smooth move, stepping out of them on his sock-covered feet. "Mmm, if only we'd been a few minutes earlier, I'd have gotten the same show."

It would have been sexy had he not nearly fallen over toeing off his socks. I giggled when he caught himself and somehow managed to stay upright.

"Yuck it up, Isabella," he growled, pointing my way before turning to the shower.

I whistled. "That is one attractive backside you have there, Edward Masen."

Being silly, he wiggled it before stepping into the shower and pulling the curtain closed behind him.

"Tell me about your day," I said after a minute.

While he talked, I finished my hair and makeup, finally needing him to stop so I could escape the steam-filled room.

"Okay, Sarge. Finish your story later. I'm going to go grab your clothes and leave them on the sink here, all right?"

"Thanks, sweetheart."

I hummed my welcome and left the hot little room, moving into the bedroom to grab his nice jeans, dark green T-shirt, and black button-down to wear over it since the nights were chilly. Slipping back into the bathroom, I set the jeans and T-shirt on the counter and hung the other shirt from the hook on the back of the door.

"Okay, babe. Your clothes are here. I'm going to head downstairs."

Edward peeked his head out, his hair lathered up with bubbles, and smiled. "Thanks. Tell your dad I'll be out shortly."

I nodded and then slipped back out of the bathroom, leaving him to finish his shower in peace.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Oh, Lord...the two hands thing. Whew! LOL So was girl time like you had hoped it would be? It was so fun writing it, so I hope you enjoyed!**

**Let me know, and then head on over to see Sarge, Charlie, fishing, and the boys. :) – Jenny**


	160. Chapter 160: Edward

**A/N #1: Ah, women are so, so ruthless and shameless when they get together. I honestly think we're worse than men. LOL And I truly can't decide which is sexier...sweaty, been in the sun all damn day Sarge...or soapy, slick in the shower Sarge. Hmmm...decisions, decisions... ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Lake Crescent... October 16, 2010 at 10:12 A.M.**

"You have to put it back, Em." Jasper sighed, rolling his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Emmett asked, looking like a confused child.

"Emmett," I snapped. "You heard the guy back at the dock. It's catch and release only. The trout population is too low. Put it back."

"It's a beautiful rainbow trout, son," Charlie praised him with a chuckle, "but you can't keep it."

"Yeah, but I won't have proof I caught anything..." He paused but broke into a wide grin. "Jazz-man...take a picture on my phone."

Charlie and I turned back toward the lake. We were at the bow, and Billy Black was at the stern with Jasper and Emmett. It was easier to lock Billy's wheelchair in place back there. Plus, the cooler with snacks, sodas, and beer was there, so the boys were as close to that as possible.

The guys were still bickering after pictures had been taken, so I finally turned around. "Emmett, take it off the line and put it back...before it dies!"

"I got it, Sarge." Jasper grinned, snatched the lure from the fish's mouth, and gently set the wriggling thing back into the lake. He smacked Emmett in the chest, saying, "Catch another one. Let's go! Bet I beat you..."

Charlie snorted into a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Was he like that overseas?" he asked.

"Yes," I laughed but then thought better of my answer. "But not in combat. Those two had my back better than anyone." I sighed, shaking my head at some of the memories flashing back. "If you know him, then you know he's got this...I don't know...switch inside. He can turn it on and off. He's that way ninety-nine percent of the time, but then when he needs to, he just...changes. He's got an amazing tactical mind."

"Football," Charlie said softly. "He played his whole life. I imagine that's how Emmett sees it."

"Yeah, me, too."

The boat quieted down for a little while; the only sounds were the wind over the water, the small waves lapping against the side of the boat, and the occasional cast of a line. It was soothing, peaceful. And the scenery was breathtaking. I had to remember to bring Bella out here. Lake Crescent sat nestled inside Olympic National Park. It was surrounded by mountains, and the water was clear and blue. There was more than just fishing to do; as I looked around, I could see swimmers, divers, and sailboats.

After Billy caught a nice-sized trout and the guys took pictures, they took a break, passing around a couple of beers in celebration. Their conversation ran the gamut – sports, the girls, being back, and finally, Afghanistan.

Charlie and I were similar creatures, I discovered. We were quiet, merely enjoying where we were and only speaking when necessary. Mainly, we just listened to the others talk softly.

"What was the hardest part over there?" Billy asked, taking a sip of beer and going back to attaching a different lure to his line.

"Kandahar sucked," Emmett stated. "We went twice, both times for like two weeks. No communication, constant patrols, and the place was a real mess."

"Yeah, he's right. Car bombs, civilians threatened, and a terrorist cell that didn't quit. In fact, they weren't sure, but they may have been the same cell that attacked the roads by the base," Jasper agreed with a nod.

"There's nothing scarier than not being able to trust anyone. Even women and kids were deemed a threat," Emmett added. "They'd send them into a group of American soldiers, and then the bomb would go off."

I grimaced, but it was true. These were the things we couldn't tell the girls. It wasn't because we didn't think they could handle it but because who needed to hear that shit? The girls knew we'd seen ugly and terrible things, and they represented the complete and total opposite of those things. I think we just wanted to keep it that way.

"Finding the insurgents that were attacking our transport trucks was a bitch," Emmett stated after a few minutes. "Thought we almost lost Eddie over that one."

I felt Charlie's stare on me before he said anything. "What happened?" he asked, oblivious to the change in topic behind us as the rest of the guys got ready to cast their lines again.

"Shrapnel," I said with a deep sigh. "It caught me in the chest a few months before we left. In fact, I'm not so sure that didn't set in motion our transfer to MacDill. My LT was a good guy, thought we'd seen enough action, and we'd already lost a few really good men by then." I looked over at him. "I think he saw that I was just...done. It was early on in my relationship with Bella, but..." I shook my head, turning my gaze back out over the water. "All I could think about was getting out of there and to her. My plans to re-up were over."

"Does she know?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," I said with a nod. "I video chatted with her that very day. She tore me a new one for letting my guard down." I grinned at his soft laugh. "I knew right then that she was it for me."

Charlie smiled, gazing down at the water. "Are you asking my permission, Edward? She's a grown woman, and she certainly can keep you in line..."

I laughed. "She can. That's for sure," I chuckled. "I'm not sure when, but eventually...yes, I'll want your blessing."

He grinned, shook his head, and met my gaze. "I watch you with her, you know," he said softly and, I noted, with a sad smile gracing his face. "You look like you want to jump in front of a speeding bullet for her. Like you want to protect her from everything."

"I do. She's all I have."

He nodded, his brow furrowing a little. "For the most part, yes. I just want her happy, Edward. You seem to do that for her. As long as that continues, then we're good. Got me?"

"Yes, sir."

"She had to grow up quickly with her mother," Charlie sighed, shrugging a shoulder. "Bella was the responsible one. Always so serious. Now it's like...she's been set free. Take it from someone who let just a little bit too much life pass them by... Don't wait too long. Happiness is fragile."

I smiled at him. "I won't, sir. Thank you."

He eyed me for a moment as he reeled in the line. "Let's grab a beer, son. And then we'll go in, grab some lunch, and see if we can't beat those boys. Surely the fish will bite when we get back. We'll drop anchor in a different spot."

Grinning, I nodded, reeling in my own line. "Sounds good."

~oooOOOooo~

"Hold it up, Charlie." I laughed, trying to center him, the big-ass fish, and Billy in the picture.

It had taken him and Billy to reel the damn thing in. It had fought them so hard that the bow of the boat had dipped. I was pretty sure that it had tried to wind its way through some rocks under the water. Jasper and I were afraid that the line would snap before they got it into the boat.

"Send me that when we get back," Charlie said, looking over my shoulder.

"The girls asked for one of all of us," Jasper reminded me. "So don't forget to ask the dock manager when we get back."

"Yeah, somethin' about a wedding scrapbook," Emmett added, stowing away all our gear.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the sleeve of my T-shirt, realizing that I really just stunk. Badly. It was sweat, fish, and beer, thanks to Emmett, who'd thrown me one that had exploded.

"It's time to go, I think," Billy said, looking at his watch. "I promised Sue we'd have you back in time to scrub up a little before rehearsal."

Charlie grimaced, causing all of us to chuckle.

"Nervous, Charlie?" Jasper asked, giving his shoulder a squeeze before tugging up the anchor.

"No, just ready for this...hoopla to be over," he sighed.

"The hoopla is in the honeymoon," Emmett told him with a laugh and a waggle of his brows.

I laughed at the red that bloomed over Charlie's face. It was very much like his daughter that way. He gave us all a dangerously-raised eyebrow, because his honeymoon had been a gift from the six of us to him and Sue. We were sending them to Vegas for a week. We figured they could do it all there – gamble, sight-see, and catch a show. We'd approached them with it just the day before, after getting back from the shooting range. Bella and the girls had done all the research. She had conspired with Leah to secretly get work off for both Charlie and Sue, and Leah had even called and canceled the reservations they'd had at a cabin close to Forks and La Push. To say that they'd been surprised would have been an understatement.

Once Charlie realized none of us were intimidated by the glare he was trying to shoot us, he smiled ruefully, shaking his head.

"Let's get you back," Billy told him, turning his chair and locking the wheels as Emmett started the engine. "The quicker we do this, the quicker it'll all be over."

~oooOOOooo~

"Okay, babe. Your clothes are here. I'm going to head downstairs."

I tugged back the shower curtain, giving Bella a smile. "Thanks. Tell your dad I'll be out shortly."

Bella closed the door behind her, and I shook my head at just how beautiful and easy we were. She'd smelled way too clean to touch when I'd joined her in the bathroom, but now that was all I could think about.

Talking with Charlie had been scary, but a good thing. I hadn't truly intended to ask him for his permission because I wasn't ready to ask Bella to marry me just yet. I needed some time to get settled, time to get my future at school lined up. But Charlie had readily offered his blessing, and something about that seemed to have lifted a weight that had been on my shoulders.

I dressed quickly, walking down the hall to Bella's bedroom after running a towel over my wet head. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I put on my shoes, glancing up when Bella leaned in the doorway.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Just about," I sighed, crooking a finger to her. "C'mere."

She crossed the room, and I pulled her to stand between my legs. She looked simply delicious dressed in a denim skirt that hugged her ass and showed off her beautiful legs and a pretty blue shirt that made her breasts look incredible.

"Your hair's still wet," she whispered, running her fingers gently through it.

"Not for long if you keep doing that," I told her, smiling up at her sweet giggle as my hands caressed the outside of her thighs and around to her ass.

All I wanted was to kiss her. Hard. Technically, that wasn't really true. What I wanted was to fuck her senseless on her childhood bed, floor...against the closet door. She was beautiful and sexy as she smiled down at me with her teeth latching onto her bottom lip. I wanted to do things to her that would have Charlie taking back any blessings and good will that we'd developed the last two days.

Urging her by cupping her bottom, I pulled her into my lap so that she was straddling my thighs, causing her sweet, small skirt to ride up just a little.

"They'll come looking for us, baby," she giggled, cupping my face.

"I missed you today," I said, as if that explained why I was probably about to break a million of Charlie's rules. "Just a kiss?"

"We're so gonna get busted, Edward," she warned me, but she was leaning in at the same time.

"I'll take my chances," I breathed against her lips, finally giving into what I wanted.

Fuck, I'd really missed just losing myself in her. And we'd only been in Forks for two days. As much fun as I was having with our friends and Bella's dad, I missed being completely selfish with my girl. And that shit had only taken two weeks.

Bella's tongue raked across my bottom lip, and I slipped my fingers into her hair, turning her head. Heavy breaths pushed out against cheeks as our mouths opened. I tasted, claimed her, my hands gripping her hips. I moaned when her chest pressed to mine at the same time her hips rolled heavy and slow. Unable to help myself, I ground her down over me again, instantly regretting it because I grew hard at the feel of her heat, the sound of her sexy little whimper, and the taste of mint and Bella.

Our kiss broke, but our foreheads stayed pressed together. I locked gazes with warm, lust-filled but slightly amused dark chocolate brown.

"What was that all about?" she panted, brushing one more kiss lightly across my lips.

I shrugged a shoulder, nuzzling her nose with my own, up one side and down the other. "I miss getting those whenever I wanted," I told her, smiling at her giggle.

"Hmm, I see," she mused dramatically. "Well, Sarge...can you survive one more day?"

"I sincerely doubt it," I chuckled. I wrapped my arms all the way around her, leaning in to open my mouth to the sweet-smelling skin of her neck. "I'm a spoiled man, Isabella. And I like it that way..."

She buried her laugh into my neck, whispering, "I'll try to spoil you later, Sarge. Okay?"

I wanted to kiss her all over again for using that name, but as I leaned to do just that, a commanding, booming voice echoed up from the stairs.

"Kids! Let's go!" Charlie called. "We've got to be at the rec center in twenty minutes to meet everyone."

His voice made us both jump, which in turn made us crack the fuck up. I helped Bella to her feet, and stood up to make sure we didn't look like we'd just been manhandling each other. Using Bella's mirror, I ran my hands through my hair and then reached for her hand.

I stopped her just at her door. "You look beautiful, baby," I told her, thinking if she looked amazing in a casual skirt, then the dress she was supposed to wear tomorrow may just drive me crazy.

She kissed my cheek, saying, "Thank you, Edward."

"You're welcome," I said, guiding her down the hall. I kissed her temple. "And I really did miss you today."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Okay, troops... We officially have Charlie's blessing. Do you see why we waited? Charlie sees a bit of himself in Edward, I think. Hmm? But you see, Sarge has a plan, so patience, okay?**

****rubs hands together** Party on the rez...which means...Jake. (And I'm sure it's no secret among my regular readers that I'm no Jake fan. LOL So...brace yourselves.) [Note from Jenny: We had SO much fun writing the Jake stuff. OMG! LOL]**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	161. Chapter 161: Bella

**A/N #1: You guys have been itching for the confrontation between Sarge and Jacob... Because of how chapters fell...you get 4 today, and they include a heck of a lot of stuff...including some Jake/Bella and Jake/Edward confrontations, some sexytimez, and just some good times with the group. So enjoy!**

**~oOo~**

**La Push... Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 7:15 P.M.**

"Hey, sweet girl. I'm going to go grab some more to drink and another burger. You want anything while I'm up?"

Edward was leaning down, his breath ghosting over my ear so I could hear him above the din of noise echoing through the large room of the community center.

"No, thanks." I turned my head and kissed him once. "I'm good, thanks, babe."

He smiled and then stood, raising his voice to the rest of our small group at the end of the long table. "Anyone else want anything while I'm in there?"

Emmett, who had a mouthful of burger, poked his can of Coke with a finger, and Jasper said, "Make that two."

Nodding, Edward took his plate and headed back to the small kitchen, where all the food was set up.

The rehearsal had started just after six o'clock, but since it was just Charlie and his groomsmen – his best friend Billy and soon-to-be stepson Seth – and Sue and her bridesmaids – Leah and me – there wasn't a lot that needed actually rehearsing. The wedding wasn't actually being held at the community center – unless it rained – but since that's where the party after the rehearsal was being held, they'd decided it just made sense to do it all there. I'd walked down the aisle first, followed by Leah and then Sue on Seth's arm. They'd also had Claire, one of the younger members of the tribe, practice singing a pretty song that she would sing the next day in the native Quileute language.

The man who was going to perform the ceremony – the grandfather of one of Jacob's friends, Quil – had instructed them on how the ceremony itself would progress. Since both Sue and Charlie had gotten married to their respective spouses the first time at the courthouse, neither were completely familiar with the bride's and groom's perspectives. That had all taken only about half an hour, so by 6:45, they were finished and we were all in line, grabbing plates to pile high with food – hotdogs, hamburgers, homemade venison sausage, plus potato salad, chips, and an assortment of veggies.

"Oh, damn..." Alice nudged me with her elbow. "Check out who just walked in."

Coming in from the main doors of the center were Jacob and two of his friends, Paul and Jared. Each of them had a girl on their arms. I recognized Rachel, one of Jake's older sisters, with her hand in Paul's, and much to my surprise and annoyance, Jake's companion was my nemesis from high school, Melissa. She had been determined to hate me once I moved to Forks. I could never figure out why, except maybe that the others had been so enamored of the new girl that I'd usurped Melissa from her position as the number one subject of discussion at Forks High.

"Don't worry, Belly-boo," Emmett said, winking. "We got your back."

I laughed, shrugging my shoulders. "I'm so not worried about him. If I have to, I can reacquaint his boys with my knee."

Jasper and Emmett cringed as a smooth, velvety voice came from behind me.

"That's my girl," Edward said, dropping into his seat and sliding the two cans of soda across the table to the other guys.

Moments later, Jake and his group walked up to our table. His smile was cocky and sure as he grinned at me, barely sparing Edward a glance.

"Hey, Bells. It's good to see you. You remember the guys, Melissa, and my sister Rachel, right?" He motioned to the other girl, who was standing with Jared. "This is Kim, Jared's girlfriend."

Nodding, I pasted a smile on my face. "Melissa, you look great." My smile turned genuine as I faced Jacob's sister. She wasn't much like her brother, and I honestly didn't understand what she saw in Paul, but she'd always been friendly. "Rachel, it's good to see you." Turning to Kim, I said, "Nice to meet you." I was determined not to judge her before I'd even spoken with her.

She smiled sweetly. "You, too."

"Good to see you, too, Bella. My dad said you met someone?" Rachel looked at Edward out of the corner of her eye.

I made the introductions, aware of Jacob pointedly ignoring it all. Once everyone had met one another, I gestured to the empty plates in front of us. "There's plenty of food in the kitchen if you guys are hungry."

For the first time since coming up to the table, Melissa spoke. "No, thank you," she said disdainfully. "I care enough about how I look that I don't eat...that."

I had to work hard not to roll my eyes.

With her nose in the air, Melissa turned and said to Rachel and Kim, "Come on. I see some better seats over there."

Kim looked embarrassed before quietly following Melissa. Rachel didn't hesitate to roll her eyes, mouthing, "Sorry," before turning and heading across to the other two.

Once they were gone and Jacob and the guys had walked away, the subject turned to our trip home the next day and plans for the next couple of weeks. Emmett, of course, wanted to dress up for Halloween and go trick-or-treating. We finally placated him by telling him we'd all dress up if we found a party to go to, but there was no way we were going door to door getting candy.

Draining the last of my soda, I stood. "I'll be back."

I said hello to a few people as I made my way through the big room to the kitchen. They all wanted me to talk about the handsome man I was with or talk about Sue and Charlie's wedding. By the time I got to the kitchen, I was just about talked out. There was only so many times I could tell the same stories or say the same things before I started feeling like I was reading from a script.

I was bent over pulling a new Coke from the bottom shelf of the refrigerator when I heard him.

"Mm, the view is still as good as ever."

Jerking up, I nearly banged my head on the bottom of the freezer door. "Jacob," I said, not bothering to hide the roll of my eyes this time. "You really don't take a hint, do you?"

He smirked. "Come on, Bells. You know we'd be good together. The chemistry's still there."

Shaking my head, I sighed. "Back off, Jake. We went out in high school, but that was a long time ago. I'm in love, and I'm happy."

Jake took a few steps closer, but thankfully, he was still staying far enough away that I didn't have to worry about him invading my personal space. "Come on, Bells. You can't really tell me you're in love with Pretty Boy out there, can you?"

"She just said she was," the pretty boy in question stated firmly.

I looked over to the door to see Edward in all his angry, pushed-to-his-limit glory – brows lowered, eyes dark, stance widened, and arms crossed.

"Everything all right, sweetheart?" he asked me, glancing quickly at me before turning his gaze back to Jacob.

I smiled, grabbed my soda, and skirted around Jake to Edward's side, wrapping my arm around his waist. "I'm fine, Sarge. Come on. Let's go see what the others have planned."

Without another word to Jacob, we turned and left the kitchen.

~oooOOOooo~

"Oh, God, that's a pretty sight," Alice gushed.

My head swiveled to the right, where I watched Edward, Emmett, and Jasper walking through the doorway of the community center. All of them were wearing T-shirts and shorts, having lost the coin flip to determine who would choose shirts or skins. Jacob, Paul, and Jared had chosen skins.

After sitting and talking with Charlie, Sue, Billy Black, and a few other Quileute elders, some of the guys had decided they wanted to play basketball. Emmett had overheard, and suddenly, he, Jasper, and Edward had headed out to the car to change into the shorts they'd brought with them.

Alice was right. Even with shirts on, our boys were hot. Their T-shirts molded to their bodies without being disgustingly tight, and the athletic shorts showed off the muscles of their thighs – just looking at Edward's reminded me of sitting astride him, feeling those muscles bunch up and relax underneath me, helping me to move above him.

The boys shot us winks as we whistled loudly and cheered our support, and then they continued onto the court, picking up the basketball from the middle of the floor. They were joined by another guy I recognized from the station, where he was a deputy who worked with Charlie. They all shook hands and talked for a minute; I couldn't hear what they were saying, but from Jasper's gestures, he was introducing Edward.

When Jake and the guys – Paul, Jared...and I think the other was named Collin – from the reservation came walking in a couple of minutes later, sans shirts, I had to cover my snicker with a laugh. The way they walked in, half-naked and obviously feeling cocky, reminded me of _Zoolander_. They were strutting their stuff, preening like a bunch of peacocks, especially when Melissa, Rachel, Kim, and some other girls – because of their dark hair and skin and beautiful features, it was easy to tell they were Native American – started cheering loudly.

When they passed by the seats my friends and I had taken, Jacob shot me a wink. "Watch me, Bells. I'll show you how it's done."

I snorted but said nothing, waving to the few guys I knew and liked before turning my attention back to the court, where Edward was huddled up with Emmett and Jasper and the rest of their team.

Edward must have felt my eyes on him because he looked up, glared at Jake for a second, and then turned to face me. He rolled his eyes as he nodded over to where Jake and the guys were bouncing another ball back and forth, and then he winked at me before turning his attention back to the guys and the upcoming game.

Finally, they called the La Push guys over and talked for a minute – discussing rules and whatnot, I assumed – and then shook hands before separating to opposite sides of the court.

"Go, Emmett!" Rose cheered, cupping her mouth and making a "whoop, whoop, whoop!" sound.

Alice, Leah – who had joined us to watch the game – and I laughed as Emmett looked back and grinned, calling out, "There's my cheerleader!"

With a toss of the ball, the game was on.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Ugh. He's so pompous. Just...yeah. LOL**

**Okay, I know you're anxious to get to the game – and believe me, it is gooooood. Deb did a fantastic job on it. ;) – so leave me a note to tell me if you liked this one before scooting off to read more, will ya, please? :) – Jenny**


	162. Chapter 162: Edward

**A/N #1: As you can tell...this is a surprise double posting day. We are laying the whole Jake business down at your feet. I should also warn you that this chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING. Yeah, yeah...not that you listen. You read at work, on trains...whatever. It's my job to warn you. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**La Push... October 16, 2010 at 8:24 P.M.**

"Got room for one more?" a guy asked, walking up in shorts and a T-shirt. "I think you're gonna need it. Jake had a buddy join him outside."

"Yeah, definitely," Emmett said with a grin, holding out his hand. "You work with Charlie, right?"

"Yeah, Jonathan Duncan," he said, shaking all of our hands. "But everyone calls me Jed."

We made quick introductions while Jasper dribbled the ball, giving our competition a glance when they walked in the door. They looked _way_ too happy to be skins in this game, but I could see why. They were in shape. Paul, Jared, and Jake were older than their fourth team member, who we were introduced to as Brady.

"This will be so easy," Emmett chuckled low and soft. "Not like the ass-kicking we got against those Navy Seals that one time, remember?"

I grinned and nodded. Those guys had been badass and ruthless, but it had been one helluva game. "Wonder how Rocky's doing?" I asked, looking over to Jasper because we'd liked the big lug. He was seriously one of the best communications specialists we'd ever seen.

"He's a daddy now...a little baby girl," he answered with a grin.

I was just about to say something to that when Jacob had to go and open his jackass mouth.

"Watch me, Bells. I'll show you how it's done." The wink and grin he gave her was so fucking cheesy, but the scowl she shot back was a thousand times better, which made me give her a smile.

"This asshole's getting on my last fucking nerve," I muttered almost in a growl.

"Wait," Jed whispered. "Aren't you dating the chief's daughter?" He grimaced at my nod. "You must be all right if you're here...so what the hell?"

"Jake can't seem to take no for an answer from Bella," I told them, quickly explaining not only some of the past things that she'd dealt with but the scene I'd walked in on in the kitchen earlier.

Finally, Emmett sighed, his happy-go-lucky face gone. "Let's teach him about...closure. Shall we?" he asked, meeting the other team in the middle of the court. "Street ball, no ref, call your own fouls, full court. And we play to fifty. Sound okay to you, Jake?" When the others agreed, Emmett threw the ball with extra force, saying, "Good...the ball is yours first. Game on."

I knew the second Emmett said street ball that we were in for a fight. It was what Emmett wanted. He wanted to take cheap shots against these guys because I could see that he was in serious big brother mode.

They say that the cream rises to the top, and it did in this game. Quickly. Despite how Jake and his boys obviously worked out, they weren't conditioned. Jasper, Emmett, and I were. We ran just about every day. And our endurance started to show, which only pissed off Jake that much more.

The score stayed pretty even, but soon, it didn't matter who was ahead. Shots were blocked, guarding became push and shove, and fouls stopped being called. My speed became our advantage. Emmett and Jed made sure to send the ball my way because I could get up court quickly, easily using layups to score.

But the trash talk was getting out of hand.

Paul scored, and I took the ball to the sideline to throw back into the game. Jake suddenly appeared in my grill, his breathing heavy, covered in sweat, but his eyes were black, focused on me.

"It won't last, Pretty Boy," he taunted with a sneer as I tried to find an open man. "Bells will drop you like a bad habit. She does it to everyone."

I grinned, shaking my head. He was goading me, trying to get me to snap, but it wouldn't work. I knew where Bella and I stood. However, as he stood in front of me, I could see how Bella's emotions had flared up back in Florida when we'd dealt with Tanya. Facing our pasts wasn't easy, but they just didn't fucking matter. Jacob's case of sour grapes was not my fucking problem because he had no idea what I'd do to keep that girl in my life. None. He had no idea what I'd survived just to get to her. He was, in all reality, insignificant.

"Oh, but what a _sweet, sweet_ ride until she does, yeah?" I countered, giving him a wink and finally throwing the ball to Jasper, who caught it nicely away from Brady's grasp.

We raced back down to the other end of the court, and I could hear the cheers but couldn't narrow in on anyone. I got into position on the opposite side of the paint from Jasper. He had no shot. Brady was guarding him closely, so he passed the ball to Emmett. Paul came nowhere near Emmett's height, so with a quick step forward, Em took his shot, but not before Paul got a touch on it. It hit the backboard with a heavy thunk, rebounding back out.

With a jump, Jake and I went up for it at the same time, but my reach and angle were better so my hands locked onto the ball with ease. Coming back down, though, was a different story. My elbow caught Jake's face with a loud crunch.

"Ah, fuck!" he groaned, holding his face and bending over at the waist. "You motherfucker! You did that shit on purpose!"

His nose was bleeding when he stepped up to me, but I grinned, standing my ground. "It doesn't look broken, but then again, it looked pretty crooked to start with, so..."

When I shrugged, he lunged, only to be stopped by several hands.

"Easy, Jake," Jasper drawled, wearing the sweetest of smirks. "It's street ball. These things are bound to happen..."

When Paul stepped forward, I knew shit was about to go south. I glared at Jake, who was still chest to chest with me.

"Step the fuck back, and maybe that's the only bruise you'll sport for the wedding tomorrow," I warned him, raising an eyebrow at him.

"That's enough!" Bella's voice rang out through the gym. I felt her hands tugging at my shirt, but I wasn't moving.

"Game's over, boys," Charlie's authoritative voice added. "Edward, son...step back."

"Sir," I grunted without taking my eyes from Jake. "You'll leave her alone, or I'll tell Charlie you don't quite know your boundaries with his daughter, got me?"

Jake's eyes shot a nervous glance toward Charlie but locked back with mine. "You don't deserve her," he breathed, his lip curling in hatred.

"Maybe," I said with a smile at the same time I shrugged a shoulder. "But you had your chance, right?"

"Edward, let's go," Bella said, tugging my shirt again. When I didn't budge, she popped up between Jake and me. "Now, Sarge," she snapped, forcing my gaze to hers. "Let's go for a walk, baby. Okay?"

"Jacob Black," I heard Billy's voice yell. "Calm the hell down."

I stepped back as Bella pushed and shoved me away from Jake, but my eyes finally landed on her face. She was worried – and a little pissed.

"Sorry," I muttered with a sigh.

"Come on," she snorted, rolling her eyes and taking my hand. She mumbled something about stupid boys and testosterone as she dragged my ass out the back door and across the street.

She led us out onto the beach and away from prying eyes, but I didn't say a word. I was still practically shaking with my anger. She suddenly stopped, glaring up at me.

"Did you hit him on purpose, Edward?" she asked, her facial expression unreadable.

"What? No!" I rubbed my face, trying like hell to calm down. "He was too close when I came down, Bella. I swear."

She sighed, nodded, and leaned back against a large rock, folding her arms across her chest. "He's no different than when I was fucking seventeen. I swear to God."

I huffed a laugh at her absolutely adorable, grumpy frown and the sound of indignation in her voice.

"It's true," she sighed, looking up to me. "He used to pick these little fights just to push me. Fights about other guys, other girls, my curfew. It was like he tested my loyalty on a continuous basis. I couldn't take it."

"He's still doing it," I pointed out, clawing at my hair and looking out over the black water. The moon and stars were reflecting off the surface, giving the impression there were twice as many. It was really beautiful.

"You shouldn't let him get to you," she stated softly. "He means nothing."

When I spun to look at her, I couldn't hold her gaze. I was ashamed I'd let Jake pick at me. I shook my head, my nostrils flaring. "I can't let him insult you, Bella. It's impossible to ignore. I won't allow it. He has no idea what you mean to me."

"He doesn't matter," she countered with a sigh, but she reached out and grabbed the front of my T-shirt, pulling me to her. "This," she said, motioning between us. "This is all that matters. I'm yours, Sarge. End of story. Please calm down."

I leaned into her, resting my forehead to hers. Nodding slightly, I tried to ground myself. She was right; this shit was ridiculous, and I had only played into his hands.

"Mine," I breathed, sweeping my lips across hers. I was suddenly aware of just how sweaty I was, but if Bella cared, she certainly wasn't protesting, because her fingers gripping my shirt tugged me even closer.

"Yes."

It was all too much – someone wanting her, two nights without her, and the gorgeous leg that was suddenly snaking up around my thigh. I knew we were adjusting to my being home, to acclimating to her family and friends, and still, this was just too much. My lips met hers in a searing kiss, moans erupting from us both. It was desperate and needy, most likely being fueled by the adrenaline that was still coursing through me. Teeth raked over lips, tongues tasted and claimed, and my hands slipped up bare thighs and underneath the short hem of her skirt as I pressed her back against the rock.

"Bella, love... You can't... We shouldn't," I panted, sweeping my tongue along her bottom lip and hitching her leg up higher.

"No one's around," she stated, sounding like Eve herself when she teased Adam. Her arms wound around my neck, and she boosted herself up.

When her legs wrapped around my hips, I wasn't sure I could be stopped. I'd missed the feel of her body under my hands, the feel of the cradle of her thighs, and the sensation of being deep inside of her. Guilt about where we were stepped back, and desire overshadowed everything.

"Shit," I hissed, squeezing my eyes closed as Bella rolled her hips. Heat and wetness rubbed over my dick, causing it to strain against my shorts and underwear. "Tell me what you want, baby," I groaned, unable not to grind myself against her. I was already leaking, and the friction wasn't enough.

"You, Edward," she stated, grasping either side of my face. "Fuck, I've missed this the last two days..."

"No shit," I said, my voice coming out closer to a growl than my normal tone as I licked and nipped up to the sweet spot behind her ear. "Where, love?"

"Right here," she stated, reaching between us to push the front of my basketball shorts and boxers down. "Just fuck me...now...right here."

I gazed at her through my eyelashes as my hands explored underneath that skirt. I didn't want her naked, and I was pretty damn sure she'd kill me for destroying her underwear, so with a swift tug, I wrenched her underwear to the side.

"So fucking wet, Isabella," I purred, loving that I fucking made her that way. "What started that, my sweet, beautiful girl?" I asked her, looking down between us as she helped me line up to her entrance.

"You...just you, baby," she answered. "I missed the feel of you inside me."

I slid all way into her, my mouth hanging open as I pressed my forehead to hers. "I don't want to hurt you. Pull away from that rock, love."

She nodded, leaving nipping, wet kisses on my lips, my chin, and my jaw. She sat forward, allowing me to wrap a protective arm around her at the same time that my other hand gripped her ass. Her skirt bunched up around her hips, but my body covered hers, blocking anyone from seeing her should we be interrupted. However, from what I could tell, the place was deserted.

Careful not to grind her against the stone, I still took her hard. The brunt of her weight was on the denim of her skirt and the back of my arm. The last thing I wanted was to explain ripped clothes and blood to anyone.

"Oh, sweet girl...you're gonna need to come for me," I begged her, my fingers gripping her ass just a little bit harder as I swiveled my hips to hit that one spot that made her cry out.

"Fuck," she gasped, her mouth open to the side of my neck. "Yes, baby...right there."

Oh, I knew what my girl wanted, but I wanted more. Swirling my finger around her other entrance, I said, "Touch that pretty clit for me, beautiful. Come hard for me."

The pad of my middle finger just barely grazed across her ass when her own hand snaked between us. Deep, dark brown locked gazes with me, my name spilling from her lips as her climax started to wind up. I couldn't help the groan that rumbled out of me when her sweet pussy clenched down on me.

"Fuck, I love you," she gasped, her head falling back as her hips rolled to ride out her orgasm.

She pulled me right along with her with the feel of her, the sound of the three words that I lived to hear from her, and the tight-as-hell grip on my still sweaty hair. I spilled heavily into her, curse words muffled against her neck.

I held onto her, dropping kisses to her sweet skin. "I love you, too," I finally muttered.

Calm, soothing fingers scratched my scalp at the same time she giggled softly against my cheek. "We should get back, babe," she said in a whisper.

Pulling back, I nodded, sweeping a kiss across her lips. "Yeah, we probably should."

I set her down on the sand, standing in front her as we both righted our clothes. I clawed at my hair as she straightened her skirt.

"You okay?" I asked, turning her around.

She grinned, letting a rather adorable snort out. "Yes, Sarge. I'm fine. Feel free to check."

I lifted her shirt, but there were no signs of any scratches. "Good," I said, dropping a heavy kiss to the top of her head. "Let's go before Charlie sends a search party. I don't want to explain what we were just doing."

She laughed, threading her fingers with mine. "Yeah, can't see that happening... 'Well, Dad, what happened was...Edward playing basketball made me extremely wet...'"

I laughed, scooping her up and carrying her off the beach. "Duly noted, sweet girl. Come on...let's go act respectable."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: **grins evilly** Poor Jake'll be sporting a broken nose at the wedding tomorrow. Bwahahaa... ;) And you know he'll have something to say about it...**

**Okay...I'm sure you're itching for the wedding...so go on...I'll see you at the end.**

**Mooches, Deb. :)**


	163. Chapter 163: Bella

**A/N #1: Hehehehe How'd you like that basketball game? I flippin loved it. Deb blew me away with that and the lemon. Seriously. Okay, so it's wedding day. A little father-daughter bonding, some sweet Sarge words...and...well, you'll see. LOL**

**~oOo~**

**La Push... Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 3:50 P.M.**

I knocked twice on the door to the small room in which Charlie was getting ready. "Dad? It's almost time. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, Bells. You can come in." Charlie's voice was gruffer than normal, almost frustrated.

I checked to make sure Sue wasn't in sight and then opened the door, slipping through the small opening.

Charlie was standing in front of a full-length mirror someone had brought into the room. He had on a navy blue suit with a white dress shirt, and he was fussing with the matching tie.

"I can't get this straight," he grumbled. "I've tried three times."

Holding back my chuckle, I stepped up to him and brushed his hands away. "Here, let me," I said with an amused grin.

After undoing the mess he'd made, I crossed the wide end over the narrow, slipped the wide end up between the tie and collar, and then pulled it back down again. As I wrapped and looped, I looked up. His freshly-trimmed mustache was twitching, a sure sign of his nerves.

"Why are you nervous, Dad? Sue's already here and just about ready. You know what you're supposed to do and say. So relax." I smiled as I made a last adjustment, stepping back so he could take a look in the mirror.

"Thanks," he mumbled, reaching up to straighten it infinitesimally. "I haven't done this in over twenty-six years. I want it to be perfect for Sue because it's been that long for her, too, and the rain already messed up everything."

I moved up beside him again, looking at the two of us in the mirror. "Dad, it's going to be fine. Yeah, we're inside, but I promise, the room out there looks beautiful. Leah, Rose, Alice, and I worked hard to get it perfect. Sue had everything planned just in case, and everything worked out just how she wanted it."

When we all woke up to gray skies with fat, heavy clouds, we went ahead and made plans to head to the community center a few hours later – and it was a good thing, because the sky had opened up not ten minutes after we'd gotten there; it was still pouring down rain.

"Thanks, Bells." Charlie closed his eyes a moment and took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, gone were the nerves. In their place was the confident man who could face down an armed man or take in his somewhat-of-a-stranger teenage daughter without blinking. He smiled down at me, his eyes moving over me once. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks." I smiled, knowing that some of it was the dress. Dark blue with black accents, it was covered in blue and black sequins, sleeveless, and came down to just above my knees. A thin black belt and black platform heels completed the look. Rose had pulled my hair up and back in a complicated twist of some sort to keep it off my shoulders and neck.

Charlie reached up to his tie again, and I swatted at his hand.

"Stop that," I ordered, laughing at his sheepish look.

"Knock, knock," Seth's voice called from the hall. "The coast is clear, and it's time. You ready, Charlie?"

"He's ready, Seth," I said, stepping to the door and pulling it open. "Take him and get out of here so I can go back to your mom."

"Thanks, Bella." Seth grinned at me and then nodded to my dad. "C'mon, old man. Time to face the music."

Charlie smirked and took the few steps to the door, pausing beside me. "Thank you, Bella," he said seriously. "For the help and for being here."

I wrapped my arms around him, careful not to mess up his clothes or my makeup and hair. "I wouldn't be anywhere else, Dad."

He patted my back, unaccustomed to the affection, but his whispered, "Love you, Isabella," was strong nonetheless.

"Love you, too," I echoed, swallowing back a sudden lump in my throat. "Now go. Can't keep your bride waiting."

I stepped back as he nodded, and then he and Seth took off down the hall that led away from the "bridal" room and to the room we were using for the ceremony. Once they had turned the corner, I walked the other way and at the end of the hall, I knocked.

"Ready or not," I said, poking my head in, "it's time."

~oooOOOooo~

Standing at the end of the line beside Leah, I watched as my dad and Sue said their vows. Every couple of minutes throughout the ceremony, my eyes drifted to Edward, who was sitting on the groom's side in the first row of seats with our friends. He looked so incredibly handsome, it took my breath away. He was wearing a different suit than he'd worn on our date in Tampa; instead of the navy blue, this one was almost a charcoal gray, and he was wearing a light gray shirt and a tie so dark it was almost black. I couldn't tell how much of the ceremony he was actually watching because every time I looked at him, he was watching me with warm, hooded eyes.

My attention was drawn away from Edward and back to my dad and Sue as I heard Old Quil beginning the last bit of the ceremony.

"Father Sky and Mother Earth, creator and nurturer of all life, we give heartfelt thanks for the moment that brought Charles and Sue together in the Holy State of Marriage...Aho! As you, Charlie, and you, Sue, have consented together in matrimony and have pledged your faith to each other by the giving and the receiving of these rings before your family and community, according to the powers invested in me by the State of Washington, I now pronounce you man and wife."

When he told Charlie he could kiss his bride. I watched my dad's cheeks turn pink as he gently pulled Sue to him and kissed her sweetly for a moment before releasing her.

"Great Spirit, grant that our hearts may always be young and that our dreams may last forever," Old Quil intoned one last blessing to Charlie and Sue and then looked up at the family and friends gathered in the chairs. "I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Swan."

Everyone began to cheer and clap, and without looking out at them, I knew the loud whistles could only have come from Emmett and Jasper. There was not going to be a receiving line of any sort, so once my dad and Sue turned and stepped forward, everyone rose to their feet, still clapping, and began to converge on the couple.

I stepped out of the way, smiling at Leah as she got out of the way of the crowd, as well.

Strong arms slipped around my waist a moment before warm breath ghosted over my ear. "You look so beautiful, Isabella," Edward murmured, placing a slow kiss to the soft spot under my ear. "I may have to spirit you away during the reception and show you just how much I love you in that dress..."

Laughing, I turned in his arms and pressed a kiss to his lips, mumbling, "Are you sure you don't mean how much you love me _out_ of it?"

Edward shrugged, unabashed. "In, out...jeans, lace. As long as it's you, that's what matters."

"Sweet talker," I teased, kissing him again before turning back around as Leah and Emily, Sue's niece, called out for everyone to tell them the reception would start at six o'clock and was being held at Charlie and Sue's house in Forks.

"Shall we?" Edward asked, moving to stand beside me with an arm still around my waist.

I smiled and nodded. "Lead the way."

~oooOOOooo~

Two hours later, I was standing in the kitchen, washing dishes, when Edward wrapped his arms around me again.

"Why are you doing those now, sweetheart?" he asked, peeking over my shoulder.

Laughing, I said, "There are way too many people in the living room, and this way, they're done, and I don't have to worry about it later."

"Okay, well, I'm going to run out to the car. I left my cell phone in there after the wedding. I'll be back in a minute to help." Kissing my cheek, he spun away, and I watched him slip easily through the crowd of people.

Picking up another dirty plate, I turned my attention back to the dishes. A minute later, I heard the front door slam again, and I waited, expecting to see Edward back in the kitchen after a second. When no one came in, I shrugged and turned back to face the sink – but something outside the window caught my eye.

Edward was standing beside the car, arms crossed over his chest. He was flanked by Jasper and Emmett, who wore similar expressions. Jasper's hands were on his hips, and Emmett's hung loosely at his sides, but both looked like they were itching for a fight. That's when I looked to the left and saw Jake, who had come with his own "backup" in the form of Paul.

_Oh, hell no._

I didn't care what kind of testosterone-fueled disagreement was taking place. I was _not_ going to make my father arrest my boyfriend and friends on his wedding day of all days.

Dropping the plate into the soapy water, I dried my hands on my jeans as I raced as quickly as I could through the crowd of people and pulled open the front door, slamming it behind me.

I was already yelling as I stomped off the porch. "Jacob William Black, what the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Uh oh! *snicker* Jacob and Paul...shame on them. LOL Boy, Bella's mad, huh?**

**I truly loved the Bella & Charlie stuff at the beginning. Just seemed like them to me. I almost always enjoy father-daughter bonding like that – whether it be Bella & Charlie or Edward & Bethy from Deb's Gravity series. ;) I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Now, leave some love, and then head on over to see if Bella can stop the confrontation from turning into a fistfight... – Jenny**


	164. Chapter 164: Edward

**A/N #1: Oh, I know you're not listening to me...so go on... I'll see you at the bottom.**

**~oOo~**

**Forks... Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 6:48 P.M.**

The door slammed behind me as I stepped down to the yard. After rolling up the sleeves of my dress shirt, I pulled out my car keys, hitting the unlock button. My phone was right where I'd left it – on the console of the car. Bella had been in such a hurry to get inside the house to finish helping set up for the reception that I'd completely forgotten about it.

By the time I closed the car door and turned around, I wasn't alone. I let out a deep breath, shaking my head and folding my arms across my chest.

"Jake, you _really_ don't want to do this," I told him, glancing at the kitchen window before locking back onto the two guys in front of me. "Not only will it piss Bella off, but it'll piss Charlie off, too. I'm sorry about the game—"

"You tried to break my nose," he stated, his face filled with fury...and bruises, the latter of which made me smile every time I glanced at his face. "You did that shit on purpose."

"If he had done it on purpose, Jake, then I promise you, you wouldn't have gotten up off that court floor," Jasper said, stepping quietly off the porch with Emmett right behind him.

"And your face wouldn't be fit for the public," Emmett added with an evil grin. They flanked me in front of the car door as he said, "Saw them sneak out behind you. Thought they'd be lookin' for revenge."

"Not cool, gangin' up on a guy," Jasper mused, rubbing his chin. "It shows a lack of...honor."

"This isn't about honor," Paul scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You smashed his face. We aren't letting that go."

"It was a game, dudes," Emmett laughed, though it came nowhere near his eyes. "Street ball gets rough...you need to nut up. Take your shit like a man. Quit pissin' and moanin' like a pussy."

"Enough, Emmett," I sighed, smacking his chest with the back of my hand. "Jake, you have a problem with me, but it's _your_ problem. Not mine. I'm _not_ fighting you." I shook my head at their smirks.

We all flinched when the front door flew open. I groaned, sighing, because this was exactly what I'd wanted to avoid.

"Jacob William Black, what the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Bella snapped, stepping between us.

"Oh, damn, she middle-named you, bro," Emmett teased. "She hasn't had to do that to me in years."

I fought my smile because a nervous expression came over Jake's face. Apparently, he'd been on the receiving end of Bella's temper more than once.

Suddenly, Jake turned into a whiny kid right before our eyes. "Aw, Bells... Do you even know this guy?" he asked, gesturing to me. "I mean, letters...really? This guy could be anyone."

Bella stepped up to him, poking his chest with her finger. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes, I do. The person I don't know...is _you_," she sneered, poking him with every word. "And you'd think I would, considering we fucking grew up together."

That hit home with him. He grimaced, looking everywhere but at her face. Despite the fact that he towered over her, he seemed to shrink before her presence.

"What are you thinking? Picking a fight on my dad's front lawn...on his fucking wedding day?" she asked him through gritted teeth. "You're no better than the third graders I teach."

We all grimaced because my girl was on a roll. I wasn't sure there was any stopping her at this point. And by now, Paul was slowly backing away.

"And just what did you think picking a fight with three men that are merely two weeks out of the army would accomplish, Jake? Seriously." She huffed, rolling her eyes. "I don't answer to you." He opened his mouth to argue, but she quickly shot a hand up. "Shut up. Your opinion on who I date, live with, and love means nothing to me. And if it did, do you think this is the way to get it across?"

Jake shook his head. "No, but—"

"No buts!" She scowled, looking more like an angry kitten than anything else, but she glared up at him. "My life is none of your concern. It hasn't been for a very long time, Jake."

"Hey, Bells," Charlie called from the door, but his eyes took in the scene before him, darkening a bit just like his daughter's. Instead of asking Bella, his gaze landed on me. "Edward, everything okay?"

"Yes, sir," I answered, smirking up at him. "We were just clearing the air with Jake and Paul here about that basketball game last night." I locked eyes with Jake.

"Mm-hm," Charlie hummed, eyeballing all of us, but his gaze landed lovingly on his daughter. "Bells, Sue wants a few more pictures with everyone before we load back up for the rez tonight."

"Sure, Dad," she said, narrowing her eyes on Jake before heading up the porch steps.

"You, too, boys. Let's go," Charlie commanded, gesturing to all of us.

We all trudged up the steps, but Charlie stopped Jake. "And when we're done with pictures, you can finish the dishes for Bella. The next time you want to pick a fight, I'll have no problem arresting my best friend's son. Got me, Jacob?" he asked, but his voice left no room for argument, and Jake simply nodded. I was the last up the steps, and his hand landed on my chest. "Don't sugarcoat shit for me, son. I'm well aware of how Jake feels about my daughter and how his temper works."

I grimaced, my nostrils flaring at the mere thought of it.

"But I also know that she's outgrown him. I've known that boy his whole life, and I wasn't actually thrilled when they went out in high school. He's old enough to know that his mouth writes checks his ass can't cash," he continued, giving me a pointed look. "Trust me, I'll be having a long talk with that boy when I get back." He raised an eyebrow up at me at the same time he gave my shoulder a squeeze. He suddenly grinned. "She tore him up, didn't she?"

Laughing, I nodded. "Yeah, she did."

"Good," he huffed, nodding once. "Maybe I'll put him to work in the jail..." he muttered to himself, but I could only grin behind him.

"Dad, Edward...pictures!" Bella called from inside.

We both chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."

Pictures didn't take long. Sue wanted some of her new family – which included me, much to my surprise – but this time, she wanted more casual shots. She also wanted some of Charlie and Bella. Apparently, Alice, Rose, and Bella would be working with Leah to make a scrapbook of the wedding.

After the last picture was taken, Emmett and I loaded up Leah's car because she was dropping Sue and Charlie off at Sue's house for the night. They were flying out to Vegas the next morning.

With hugs, handshakes, honeymoon innuendos, and goodbyes all around, the newlyweds drove off toward La Push.

~oooOOOooo~

"Not a chance in hell," Jasper cracked the fuck up. "I'm sure it's some sort of arrestable offense to touch a police officer's car."

It was just the six of us hanging out at Charlie's house. Everyone else had left for the night. The newlyweds were staying at Sue's house in La Push so they'd have the privacy they wanted – apparently Leah and Seth were both staying with friends – and Rose, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper had helped clean up after the reception to put the house back into some sort of order. Jake and Paul had been...kind enough to finish the dishes for Bella.

"Yeah, but you have to admit that shit woulda rocked!" Emmett laughed, shaking his head and taking a sip of his beer. "We coulda tied beer cans to the chief's car, written 'you have the right to remain just married' on the back window, smeared Vaseline in the door handles, tied condoms on the lights..." His voice trailed off wistfully.

"Taken a ride in the back for vandalism," Alice finished with a chuckle.

"Right?" Bella laughed, laying her head on my shoulder and linking our fingers together. "Never touch the cruiser," she stated like it was a fast and steady rule from way back.

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, I glanced around the house. The five other people in the room looked comfortable here because they'd hung out here so much. Emmett had said that he even preferred Charlie's, just simply for how easy it was to be there. And after spending an entire weekend here, I could understand why. Charlie may have only gotten Bella at the end of her high school years, but I was willing to bet that he'd been preparing for her for much longer than that. Traces of a woman's touch from long ago still lingered around the house.

"Does your mom know Charlie remarried?" Rose asked, and I looked down at Bella, interested in the answer because my feelings on Renee were still iffy.

Bella huffed a laugh, shook her head, and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. All things that told me she wasn't exactly happy. "Yeah, it was a short conversation. She said to tell him congratulations and then wanted to know if Edward and I were coming to Florida for Thanksgiving," she sighed, meeting my gaze. "I haven't had a chance to tell you yet. Sorry."

I smiled, kissing her forehead. "No worries. You've been busy. Do you want to go?"

"Do you?" she countered, her brow wrinkling.

I shrugged a shoulder. I hadn't given much thought to the upcoming holidays. I had merely assumed we'd be with Charlie, which I was completely cool with. If not Charlie, then the six of us would've done something, but meeting Renee, traveling to Florida...that sounded interesting. Tedious, but interesting. It would be the right thing to do, at least.

"You should go, Edward. You need to meet Renee," Alice chortled, rolling her eyes and standing up. She offered a hand to Jasper. "Come on. The quicker we sleep, the quicker we can go home tomorrow."

Rose and Emmett agreed, standing up as well. There were fist bumps and hugs and promises to meet for breakfast in the morning before following each other back to Seattle. By the time Bella returned from locking the front door, I had pulled out the blanket that I'd been using on the couch.

"Really, Sarge?" she asked with a wicked grin before pushing me down onto the sofa, only to crawl into my lap. "We're home alone, you know..."

I grinned, shaking my head at her. "That's a small bed you have upstairs, sweet girl."

"So?"

I bit my bottom lip in order to keep myself in check, but my hands couldn't be stopped. They caressed and squeezed, rubbed and touched everywhere I could. She'd changed into jeans, so her ass was irresistible. Giving it a slight pop, I then pulled her closer, her legs straddling my thighs.

"Naughty, Isabella," I chuckled darkly, leaning forward to brush my lips across hers. "And just how many boys have you snuck upstairs?"

"None."

Her face was smug, sexy, and a feeling of pure want encased me, especially when her eyes darkened to almost a pitch black in the dim light of the living room. Something about her never bringing anyone upstairs just fucking wrecked me. It caused a feeling of possessiveness to flow through me like I'd never felt. I thought I'd wanted her in her childhood bedroom before, but that was nothing compared to how I felt now that I knew she'd never deemed anyone worthy...before now.

"Fuck, really?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

"My dad's a cop, Edward. Do you really think I'd subject helpless boys to that? They barely wanted to date me, much less come over to my house for fooling around," she explained, but her amusement at my reaction was plainly written all over her face.

And she totally worked it to her advantage.

Leaning closer, she whispered softly against my lips. "Oh, baby, do you have any idea what I've thought about up there since we met? What all your emails and texts did to me when I stayed here?"

"Bella..." I was panting because I really fucking wanted to give her that. Anything she wanted. Slipping my fingers up her shoulders and weaving them into her hair on either side of her head, I asked, "Did you call..._my_ name, love?"

"God, yes," she barely breathed, gripping the collar of my shirt. She tugged it just enough that the first few buttons came undone. "More than once."

"Jesus," I groaned, trapped between honoring Charlie's wishes and giving my girl what she wanted. My dick solidified to steel when she leaned in to kiss my neck, her teeth scraping across my skin. "Fuck it," I growled, standing up with her and taking the stairs two at a time, all the while keeping my hands firmly planted on her sweet ass.

Bella's giggle ghosted across my neck, but she pulled back to look at me once I'd slammed her bedroom door closed behind us. Suddenly, I felt honored and a touch nervous to be doing this, but I so fucking wanted it. It negated everything from her past, leaving only me as having claimed her in her own room, and I captured her mouth in order to focus.

"What did you think about in here, my beautiful girl?" I finally asked, laying her down in the middle of the bed. She had somehow successfully unbuttoned my shirt, so I shrugged out of it, letting it drop to the floor. "And don't say me. I want...details, Isabella."

"I thought about sneaking you in here just to make love to me, simply because I needed you," she said, and it stopped me short.

I wasn't sure what answer I was expecting – perhaps some naughty fantasy about me crawling through windows or some shit – but her sweet response made me kiss her.

Clothes were reverently shed, all dropped to the floor without ceremony. Kisses deepened and then trailed away from lips to other soft parts. And finally, completely bare, I braced my elbows on either side of her head, gazing down at my beautiful girl as my hips settled into the cradle of her thighs.

"Tell me, Bella," I said cryptically, but she knew what I meant because her response was instant.

"I love you," she whispered, grasping my face and pulling me down for a kiss. "I need you..."

I pressed my forehead to hers, letting my lips barely graze across her own. "Always, my sweet, sweet girl. You'll always have me," I vowed, sliding completely home inside of her.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Sigh... I really love that man... LOL**

**Okay, so Thanksgiving with Renee, huh? That should prove...hmm, interesting. ;)**

**I'm sorry this is the first time you guys have gotten a double posting in a while, but it really worked here better than anywhere else.**

**We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	165. Chapter 165: Bella

**A/N #1: We hope you loved the visit to Charlie's as much as we loved writing it. :) But now, another time jump...**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 1:14 P.M.**

"Bella, have you seen the shopping list?" Edward started rifling through the papers on the counter. He was going grocery shopping for some last-minute items for our cookout.

"Here," I said, handing the paper to him. "I added a couple of things."

He scanned over it, nodding. "Sounds good. Just the one bag of ice?"

"Yeah, with what we have in the freezer, that should be plenty. I just want to make sure we have enough. We can put that in the cooler with the beer so we don't have to keep opening the fridge."

After giving me a quick kiss, he grabbed his keys and left the house.

I turned back to the potatoes. The ground beef and brats were in the fridge. I was chopping up the potatoes before boiling them for the potato salad. I knew the gang would be over in an hour or so, and I wanted to have this done and in the fridge before they got here so I didn't have to work as hard. I was also going to boil some eggs for Alice to make the deviled eggs we all loved so much. Edward hadn't tasted them yet, so I was excited for him to try them.

Besides the hamburgers, brats, potato salad, and deviled eggs, the girls were going to help me make barbecue baked beans, and Rose was bringing over some chile-lime cashews she'd made up this morning – if Emmett hadn't gotten to them by then. I also had three desserts, not including the two kinds of cookies in the cookie jar on the counter. The one-pan fudge cake had been incredibly easy to make, as had the key lime pie. The double layer chocolate and peanut butter pie hadn't been complicated, except for the fact that Edward had hung over my shoulder the entire time, wanting to taste and taste and taste. The desserts were all finished and sitting in the fridge – or on the counter, as was the case for the fudge cake.

Edward was so excited about today. When he'd learned that the girls and I would be off school because of Veterans Day, he had asked if I minded if we had everyone over to celebrate and just to hang out. He still had trouble with remembering this was his house, too, even though I kept reminding him. I knew it would take a while before he felt comfortable making plans without feeling like he had to get permission. I'd tried to explain the difference between getting my permission and being a good boyfriend and house mate and letting me know he was going to invite them so I wasn't surprised to find them in the house. But it was taking a while.

We had school tomorrow, so we weren't going to make any mixed drinks or have any hard liquor. Alice and Jasper were going to bring the beer and wine coolers, though, because it wouldn't be a party without at least _some_ alcohol.

Edward had gotten an Xbox 360 after getting back from Forks, so the boys were bringing over their games, and Emmett had just gotten a Wii, so he was going to bring it along with the games he had for it already. The games and food should be plenty to keep us all occupied for the afternoon and evening.

Once the potatoes were boiled, cooled, and mixed with all the rest of the ingredients, I stuck it in the fridge and went to get ready. I'd be in Edward's T-shirt and a pair of his boxers since waking up, and I needed a shower and to actually put on real clothes. Edward was back from the store, and if everyone showed up before I was ready, they could all keep each other entertained by setting up Emmett's game system.

I had just buttoned my jeans and was in the middle of pulling my T-shirt on when Alice stuck her head into the room.

"Hey, Bells. We're all here. What do you need us to do?"

I smiled, pulling my ponytail out of the back of the shirt, and turned to face her. "Unless you guys have something you need cooked before later, we should be good to go until later."

She shook her head. "The eggs are done and in the fridge. Rose already put the nuts out on the table for the pigs to snack on."

Laughing, I slid the ring I'd gotten months before from Edward – the one that only came off when I showered or cooked something too messy – back on my right hand and followed Alice out of the bedroom and down the hall.

The living room was chaos as we walked in. Rose was camped out on the couch, wine cooler in hand, shaking her head at the guys, who were in the middle of what could have been considered a disaster area post-tornado or earthquake. Games were stacked on the coffee table, cables were strewn everywhere as the guys tried to figure out how best to hook everything up to the best advantage. It was loud, busy, crowded...and perfect.

For a long time, I'd been the odd woman out in our group – and I'd been okay with that, for the most part. I was happy my friends were happy. But having Edward here, right in the middle of it all, fitting in with my friends like he'd always been there...it was better than I ever could have imagined. And when he looked up at me and smiled – that slightly crooked, beautiful smile that he reserved just for me – my world felt complete. It wasn't the first time since he'd been home that I'd felt that way, but it hit me hard every time regardless.

I kissed the top of his head as I went by, laughing when he managed to snag the controller Emmett had been waving around out of his reach.

"Hey, Rosie." I sighed with contentment as I plopped down in the leather chair, leaving the couch for Alice.

"Did you hear from your mom?" Rose raised an eyebrow curiously.

Nodding, I smirked. "Yeah, she swears she wants Edward and me to come down for Thanksgiving, that she isn't going anywhere, so it looks like it's back to Florida for us in a couple of weeks. I booked our flight this morning. We leave _late_ Tuesday the twenty-third and come home Saturday the twenty-seventh."

"We can take you guys to the airport," Alice volunteered, "if they can pick you up." She gestured to Rose, who shrugged.

"Should be fine. What time?"

"I think our plane lands at just after eight that night." I wrinkled my nose as I tried to remember which flight I'd ended up choosing.

"Yeah, it was like eight fifteen or something, love," Edward said as he passed, hearing the tail end of our conversation.

"Hey, grab me a blackberry wine cooler while you're in there, please?" I called.

"Of course. Anyone else need anything?"

Alice said she'd take a strawberry, and the guys both called for new beers.

We talked and drank while the guys finished setting up the systems and then settled in to root for our men as they started a game of Call of Duty. They had gotten lots of practice playing together in Florida, but they hadn't played much since being home, so the trash talk was fierce. The girls and I couldn't help but laugh as it got out of hand several times, with playful but competitive shoves to shoulders and raised voices...and several throw pillows were used literally – thrown at another person in exasperation.

When Edward and Emmett finally threw down their controllers in defeat, the girls and I giggled at their poor hang-dog expressions.

"Poor baby," I soothed when Edward came over and settled onto the arm of the chair.

As was always the case, Emmett bounced back immediately – a kiss from Rose always did the trick to end his pouting. "Who's up for some Wii Sports?" He rifled through the stack of games, finally pulling out a case and holding it up. "We can play up to four at a time. I want to bowl!"

Rose laughed. "I'll stick to tennis, thanks."

"Bells, Ali?" Emmett waggled his eyebrows. "Who's ready to lose?"

Shaking my head, I said, "Oh, Em, it's on, my friend."

Alice reached over and gave me a high five. "Let's kick his ass, Bella."

I grinned, winking at Edward. "Ali, sweetie, I hate to tell you, but I'll not only kick his ass, I'll kick yours, too."

Edward laughed and held his hands up. "I'm out. I'm waiting to play Em in baseball."

"It's on, Masen!" Emmett crowed, putting the game disc into the Wii and grabbing three of the remotes. He tossed one to me and one to Alice, chucking the other one not quite as gently to Jasper before picking up the last one.

We spent nearly twenty minutes getting all our characters set up. Jasper made himself look like Captain Jack Sparrow from _Pirates of the Caribbean_, while Alice went with Wednesday Addams from the _Addams Family_ TV series. Emmett decided on the Swedish Chef from the Muppets, calling out "Bork, bork, bork!" until we told him to knock it off, and Rose, the knockout blonde, just made a Mii that looked as much like her as she could. When it was my turn, my character ended up looking like Miss Piggy, so Edward made himself Kermit.

When all the Mii characters were situated, Emmett turned on bowling, and we all entered our spots. Alice went first, knocking over five pins on her first throw and picking up three more on her second. I followed with a seven-ten split on my first throw and a gutter ball for the second, tying me with Alice for the moment.

When Jasper got ready to go, Emmett stood just to the side, barely in Jasper's line of sight, and started dancing like a spastic monkey on coke. His hips were shaking, his arms were flailing, and if his facial expressions got any more outrageous, they'd just be stupid, rather than stupid funny.

Jasper ignored it as best he could, but after gutter-balling twice in a row, he dropped his controller and jumped at Emmett, taking him to the floor. It was a good thing the coffee table had been scooted back out of the way to make room for all of us to play because otherwise, they'd have crashed into it as they wrestled around, knocking into everything in their path.

Alice, Rose, and I were in tears we were laughing so hard by the time Edward stuck two fingers in his mouth and blew, the loud, shrill whistle stopping the other two guys in their tracks.

"That's enough, guys. If you want to keep at it, take it outside so you don't destroy our house."

I was the only one who melted as Edward called it "our" house. I wasn't sure when I'd get used to hearing that from him.

"It's fucking cold outside," Emmett grumbled from his position above Jasper, where he had the other man pinned, face-down, on the carpet.

"It's seventy-three!" Rose laughed, shaking her head. "That's not cold, Em. Man up."

Emmett looked disgruntled as he jumped to his feet, giving Jasper a hand up. "Fine. I'll be good." He looked at me and winked, grinning when I chuckled.

Emmett turned out to be a halfway decent Wii bowler, ending with a score of 205. I squeaked by Alice with a 172 to her 165, but we all beat Jasper, who fell short at 154.

As Emmett celebrated his significant win by dancing around and raising his hands above his head in victory, Jasper grumbled and got the game set up to play tennis. I handed Rose my controller. The game between the two of them was quick, and Rose beat him easily, much to Jasper's irritation.

"Okay, I give up. Someone else take my controller," Jasper said with a laugh. "Ed, you guys wanna play baseball now?"

Edward nodded, taking Jasper's controller. "Who wants to play?"

When no one else volunteered, I raised an eyebrow. "You going to slaughter me if I play against you, pretty boy?"

Grinning, Edward shrugged. "Call me pretty boy, and I might..."

I laughed. "Okay, pretty boy," I teased. "Game on."

After three innings, I was ahead by two, winning the game, but I had a feeling something fishy was going on.

"You didn't just let me win, did you?" I raised an eyebrow, making the others laugh. Edward looked sheepish. "Do-over," I grumbled, pointing my controller at him. "This time, be my opponent – not my boyfriend."

"Yes, ma'am," he agreed, winking.

He shut me down handily with a score of seven to one in less than ten minutes.

"Oh, geez... Stick a fork in me, I'm done!" I collapsed in the chair, laughing.

Rose and Alice played a game of tennis, and then the guys competed on golf while we sat back and watched. But just as their game ended, Emmett's stomach growled – loudly.

Laughing, I said, "Okay, you guys clean up in here and get the coals started while we get the hamburgers made."

The girls and I kissed our men and then made our way to the kitchen, laughing and shaking our heads at the mischief we could hear them getting into even just cleaning up the games.

"Okay," I said, pointing to the fridge. "Alice, you get the meat out. Rose, you want to slice tomato and onion?"

With nods, we got to work on dinner.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: I hope you enjoyed the game time and a peak into kind of their daily life. :) Just a little Veterans Day fun with the gang. I know I mentioned it a few chapters ago, but we missed Memorial Day earlier in the story. That certainly wasn't intentional. It's hard to remember holidays like that sometimes when writing a story where the dates in the story don't coincide with the actual dates in real life. But we definitely wanted to have the boys celebrate Veterans Day, so this is our way of having them do that.**

**Next chapter with Deb is a lot of fun... She'll give you a pallet of ShamWows, but I think you'll need more, since it is HER lemon. ;) Leave me some love, and then head on over to see what I'm talking about. :D – Jenny**


	166. Chapter 166: Edward

**A/N #1: A part of this is serious, but some funny. I do need to give you a LEMON WARNING. I do believe this is something that you've been asking for since Sarge's things first started to move into Bella's house. ;) And since it's a huge fic fetish of mine...I was ever so happy to oblige.**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 7:05 P.M.**

"I'm gonna toss a few more brats on the grill before the coals die out. Anyone want anything?" Jasper asked, standing up from the table.

"You might as well cook the rest of them. I can take one to work tomorrow for lunch if it doesn't get eaten," Bella said with a shrug.

"Ooh, good idea. That ought to drive Mike crazy." Alice laughed. "He's always bitchin' about his cold bologna sandwiches."

I snorted and then tossed an entire deviled egg into my mouth, thinking that if it irritated Newton, then I was all for it. I'd been home for a little over a month and had visited Bella at work on several occasions. Each time, Mike had avoided me like the plague. I made him nervous. Even better was the day that Jasper, Emmett, and I all ran into him at the hardware store on a weekend. He'd tried to hide in the plumbing aisle, but Emmett had wanted that same chat he'd promised him while we were still overseas. The result had been so very rewarding – a sweaty, shaking, very agreeable Mike Newton. With the three of us in front of him, he'd been quite apologetic...and he'd confessed to every sin for which he was guilty. It had been extremely entertaining, especially when Emmett had threatened to shove a piece of PVC pipe up his ass.

"What?" I mumbled when I saw the girls staring at me.

"Chew, babe," Bella answered with a giggle.

I swallowed and then grinned. "They're good!" I exclaimed, reaching for another one.

Alice laughed and patted my arm. "Thanks, Edward. And Jazz eats them the same way. Don't sweat it."

"Mike," Emmett chortled, shaking his head. It seemed his thoughts had drifted to the same place mine did. "How's that little pussy?"

I laughed, muffling it into my burger as the girls explained the next set of antics Newton was attempting. Apparently, the new teacher, Jessica, who had been oblivious to his personality before, now kept a heavy thumb on him.

"And did you see him last week?" Alice asked, turning to Bella. "He'd been fine all damn day, but when the sink backed up in the teachers' lounge bathroom, he went pale as a ghost when the plumber showed up."

"Yeah, I saw him go home early. What the hell?" Bella shrugged, taking a long draw on her soda.

Emmett grinned, shooting me a wink across the table. "Mike's a strange dude."

"True," we all agreed.

Jasper came back in with a plate filled with the rest of the brats and a couple of burgers, setting it down in the middle of the table. The conversations ranged from Miss Mary next door, to mine and Bella's trip to Florida, to Alice's parents, who were due back from Haiti any time now, to the possibility of Jasper and me starting classes at UW after the new year – the latter of which earned the two of us severe warnings against hot, young, college girls and just what would happen to them if we allowed inappropriate behavior.

"Like, there's this old guy in my English class," Emmett sang, sounding just like every vapid waste of space on TV.

"Exactly!" I cracked the fuck up, leaning to Bella's ear. "Why on Earth would I need to deal with that when I have the smartest, sexiest, most beautiful girl at home? Hmm?" I dropped a quick, open mouth kiss to the spot that drove her crazy, only to say, "I know just how fucking lucky I am, my sweet girl. I don't need to be threatened."

She blushed and grinned, her eyes on the table, but her head leaned so that I could give that sweet neck one more kiss. "Just you remember that, Sarge," she said softly, but her voice held no conviction.

"I'm grabbin' another beer. Anyone else?" Emmett offered, standing up from the table.

Several calls for beers and wine coolers flew at him, and he laughed, nodding, and stepped into the kitchen.

When he returned, passing the bottles all around, he said, "We should toast. Ya know, it's Veterans Day."

I nodded, stood up, and held my beer toward the center of the table as everyone else followed suit. Glancing around, I could see just how fucking lucky the guys and I were. Some men – some of our _friends_ – didn't come home at all.

"To the fallen," Jasper stated.

"Joseph Stanton," I added softly the name of the first guy we'd lost in Afghanistan.

"Kyle Bardom," Emmett said. Kyle had been too close to a mine when it went off.

"Sean Minton." Jasper voice was solemn, but I'd forgotten about Sean. They'd been friends in basic.

"And Carlos Mendez," I said finally, a wave of regret and gratefulness wracking my frame. Without Carlos, I wouldn't be where I was, but there was a young, pregnant widow somewhere in Philly that was missing him with her entire soul.

The room was silent except for the sound of six bottles clinking together.

~oooOOOooo~

"Bella, I'm gonna make sure the coals are out," I told her as I finished straightening the living room after everyone had gone home.

"Okay, I'll just finish putting the dishes away," she called over her shoulder from the kitchen.

Emmett and I had taken cleanup duty since most everyone else had done the cooking. But dishes at home were a hell of a lot easier than dishes in Tampa. Here, at least, there was a dishwasher.

The night had turned chilly, but it wasn't unbearable. However, winter was moving in quickly. Soon, it would be December, and sloshy snow would replace misty freezing rain – something I hadn't dealt with since Chicago.

Once I'd made sure the coals were cooled down, I bagged up the garbage and took it out to the curb. Stepping back into the living room, I took a deep breath. The house smelled like us. When I'd first come home, the whole place was drenched in the beautiful scent of just Bella, but now it was both of us. It was her laundry detergent, my aftershave, her shampoo, and my running shoes – which I tried to keep outside on the porch, or at least by the front door because they smelled mostly of sweat but sometimes that and soured rain water.

Walking into the kitchen, I pressed a kiss to the side of Bella's head before washing my hands at the sink.

"I have some math homework to grade," she murmured softly.

"I was going to play a little. Will it bug you?" I asked, wincing when she spun to face me.

"Edward, stop." She giggled, grasping either side of my face. "I love that you ask, but you don't have to. Just...be, baby. And you playing the piano would never bug me."

"I can't help it," I admitted with a slight chuckle, clawing at my hair. "I've been asking permission for shit for years, love. I'm sure it'll fade, but..." I shrugged, giving her a nervous smile when she smirked over at me.

Kissing my lips quickly, she said, "I'll be in there in a minute."

The library was one of my favorite parts of the house, running a close second to the bedroom, which Bella and I had defiled in just about every way imaginable. But the library was different. She'd created a safe haven for us. It was cool, comforting, and quiet. Our books blended together on a couple of bookcases, my father's desk fit in the corner off to the side next to a small sofa, and my piano looked like it had been built specifically for this room. Add in some of our favorite pictures from Florida hanging on the walls, and this room was perfect...and really, truly _ours_.

I pulled out the bench, sitting down at lifting the cover. Lightly grazing my fingers across the black and white keys, I let out a deep breath as I gazed over the shiny black closed lid. It had been an interesting day. It was fun and busy and a little sad, but it was strange thinking I was a Vet now, not a soldier. It was something that was hard to get used to when I'd pretty much assumed I'd die for my country.

Wanting to rid myself of this somewhat melancholy feeling, I started with heavy, fast scales, moving into _Clair de Lune_, then my mother's song. Chopin's _Nocturnes_ moved into _Moonlight Sonata_, only to finally calm me down to Bella's song...or _Isabella's Overture,_ as she so lovingly called it.

A shift in the chair in the corner made me glance up. I hadn't heard her even come in, much less change back into my boxers and T-shirt. Bella's hair was twisted up into some loose, complicated knot on the top of her head, secured with a pencil, but her focus was the stack of papers in front of her on my father's old desk. She was so beautiful, even in my clothes. _Especially_ in my clothes. Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup, her skin glowing. And fuck, if her legs weren't gorgeous as she pulled one up to her chin.

With a smirk, I started playing for her. I started with _Fur Elise_ but changed to more contemporary songs just to see if she'd catch on because just looking at her made me want her. _My Love_ by Paul McCartney moved on to _Need You Now_ by Lady Antebellum, and I finally got a reaction when I started _Come Home_ by One Republic. It was the song that meant the most to us, the song that had been playing when I first laid eyes on her in person and for our first dance. And I'd been working on it for a few days now while she'd been at work.

I shot her a wink when her head snapped up to gape at me. She set her red pen down, pulling her other knee up into the chair, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her chin on top. By the time I was finished, her eyes were a sweet, watery brown.

"Sweet girl, c'mere." I chuckled softly. "I hate this," I sighed, pulling her between me and the keys as I wiped away her tears.

She sniffled but smiled. "You have no idea how much emotion comes through your playing, do you, Edward?"

I just shook my head no.

"I can feel it, you know," she whispered, cupping my chin and kissing my nose. "You started kinda sad tonight, but then you mellowed out a little. Then you played for me," she explained, running her fingers through my hair when my brow furrowed. "God, you're so talented, baby. It was beautiful. All of it."

"Are you done?" I asked in a barely there but raspy voice that I hardly recognized because I needed her, and I didn't want to fight it. I just didn't have it in me.

"Not quite," she replied, giggling when I cupped her ass and pulled her onto my lap to straddle my thighs on the bench.

"Too bad," I laughed, nuzzling her neck.

Our laughter died quickly, though, because she wrapped herself around me in the sweetest of hugs as my forehead fell to her shoulder. Fingers threaded into my hair, holding me close as I kissed her neck again, this time opening my mouth for a taste of her sweet skin.

Pulling back to gaze down at her, I brushed my lips across hers, reveling in the fact that I was here, that she was mine, that the comfortable feeling, the fiery want, and the friendship between us hadn't fizzled out in the month that we'd been living together. It had only increased. All of it. And it didn't seem real some days.

"I love you," I told her, gently running my hands up the side of her thighs and toying with the hem of my boxers, only to slip my fingers just a little farther underneath.

"Love you, too..."

Digging my fingers in a little, I pulled her closer, pressing my lips to hers. I took her bottom lip while she took my top, but with one firm tug of my hair, I was done. Bella's hips rolled lazily over mine, and I couldn't help but grind against her. With a sweep of my tongue and a hand weaving into her hair, I turned her head to truly fucking kiss her. A sweet whimper pushed out against my cheek, which only made me claim her, taste her, drink from her that much more. Dragging my lips from hers, I nibbled at her jaw, only to pull one of her earlobes into my mouth.

"Edward, bedroom," she panted in my ear, her fingers already tugging and pulling at the hem of my T-shirt.

"Fuck that," I said, my voice almost a growl in her ear. "Here...now."

I wanted her on my piano. It wasn't exactly a secret, and while we'd made out right on this very bench plenty of times, we'd never moved further than that. Grabbing the bottom of her shirt, I stripped it quickly off over her head, only to reach up to take the pencil out of her hair. Chocolate waves tumbled down around her shoulders as I threw the damn thing somewhere over by the desk.

Bella looked like sin incarnate as she sat panting on my lap. Her nipples peaked high and tight as the cool air hit them, and her blush traveled just about to her navel. With a flat hand, I skimmed up her stomach, between her breasts, and around to the back of her neck, pulling her her forehead to mine. My mouth met hers as my thumbs raked across both nipples, causing a gasp of air to suck from my girl.

"Lean back," I commanded, arching her with a hand between her shoulder blades.

Strong legs gripped my waist as Bella leaned until her shoulders met the keys. The sweetest, sexiest discordant chord ripped into the quiet room, making her jerk a little.

"Beautiful," I crooned, not sure if I was talking about the sour notes or the half-naked woman in my lap. Both, probably.

I cupped both breasts, raising my hips to meet hers as she rolled them again. Bending forward, I dragged my teeth across ribs, swirled my tongue in her navel, and finally suckled each pert nipple. The piano made another odd chord when Bella writhed in my arms.

Chuckling against her sternum, I looked up at her through my eyelashes. "Hmm, B flat..." She huffed a laugh, but it turned into a gorgeous moan when I scraped my teeth over the swell of her right breast, never taking my eyes off of her while my fingers teased the seam of her boxers. "Nope...wrong. F major..."

"Cruel, Edward," she accused weakly and breathlessly, and it sounded half-amused and half-pleading.

I gathered her back into my arms, standing up with her as she leaned in to kiss me. Instead of heading to the bedroom like she probably thought, I set her sweet ass on the top of my piano. It was eerily familiar because she'd sent pictures to me of herself up there while I was in Florida.

Rubbing her thighs until she unwrapped them from my waist, I gripped the waistband. "Lift up for me, sweet girl," I told her, dragging them down and off her legs. "Fucking hell, you look really good like that," I rumbled, smiling when her left foot fell to the keys, causing tinkling high notes to shatter the air. "Mmm, G...maybe D. I'll have to remember these notes, love. This is the prettiest song this piano has ever played."

"Baby, please!" she cried out when my hands pushed at her knees to force her legs apart, my thumbs just barely grazing the wetness already pooling at her hot pussy, but she sat up, reaching for my shirt.

I grasped the back of it, wrenching it off of my head, and dropped it down to the floor. "I want to taste you up there. Can I do that, my very beautiful, very _wet_ girl?" I crooned, lifting one of her legs and skimming my lips from her knee up to the inside of her thigh.

I wanted to moan at the scent of her, all musky, floral, and just Bella. Her shoulders fell back to the top of the piano when my tongue snaked out to swipe from one end of her to the other. Spreading both of her legs as far as I could, I finally just consumed her. Swirling tastes at her entrance, teasing nips to her clit, and long suckles just to get as much of her flavor as I could. Her thighs fought me, her back arched up off the black surface of the piano, causing a small squeak, and her cries and breathing increased. Letting one of her legs go, her heel hit the keys again – only this time, it was the low end.

Slipping two fingers deep inside of her, I murmured, "Definitely C," against her now swollen clit before flattening my tongue over it. Hot, wet, and tight clenched down on my fingers as my girl got closer and closer to the edge. "Oh, baby...come for me."

"Ung," she moaned, her body arching again. "Right there, right there..."

Curling my fingers to rub the spot inside of her that always drove her crazy, I asked, "Here, love?" Flicking my tongue a few more times over her clit, my girl shattered right there on my piano, and it was better than any fucking fantasy I'd ever had. In fact, the sight of her blew every daydream out of the water.

Her juices coated my hand as I rode out her spasms, unable to take my eyes off of her stunning face. Her hair fanned out around her, her eyes rolled back, and my name was mixed in with a whole lot of curse words. Some didn't even make any sense, which caused me to chuckle darkly against her mound.

Rubbing her stomach gently as she came down from her high, I bent down to kiss the spot on her bikini line that I had claimed as mine our very first time together. There was a part of me that wanted to just fucking mark that shit permanently. Mine. Always.

Bella sat up, pulling me between her legs in order to kiss the ever-loving shit out of me at the same time that her fingers frantically worked at the button and zipper of my jeans. Using her feet, she pushed and shoved my underwear and jeans to my ankles.

"Sit, Sarge," she ordered softly against my lips.

I knew what she wanted, so I scooped her off of the piano and sat on the bench with her straddling me again. My dick was like leaking steel against her stomach, and a hiss escaped me when her hand finally wrapped around it.

"Fuck, no...no, no..." I panted, squeezing my eyes closer. "Shit, Bella...I'll come if you keep doing that. I want... Let me..."

At least she understood what the fuck I was babbling about because she sat up on her knees, lined me up to her still very hot, very wet pussy, and slowly engulfed my cock in the sweetest piece of heaven I'd ever fucking felt. Lips met my neck when my head fell back. I held her hips still for just a moment so that I wouldn't fucking come the second she moved.

Bella's body rolled in the sexiest wave, her arms letting go of my shoulders as they landed on the keys behind her. I growled low when another unusual set of notes broke into the room. Guiding her, meeting her rhythm with my hips, I gazed down at her, biting my lip in order not to come.

Pushing off the keys, Bella wrapped herself around me, her lips at my ear. "What note was that, baby?"

I groaned, knowing this shit was payback. My eyes rolled back when Bella swiveled her hips just right only to slam back down on me. "Umm... A?"

"You sure?" she chuckled darkly, nipping at my jaw.

"No? Bella, please...I'm so close, baby..."

"Then come for me, Sarge," she purred in my ear, suckling my earlobe. "I can feel how close you are. Your cock gets harder..._bigger_..."

I was done. There was no holding back. Gripping her hard, I spilled heavily inside of her. "Fuck, fuck, _fuck_!" I panted against her neck. My breathing was erratic as I held her close. "Not A...B flat."

Bella snorted, pulling back to kiss me. "Those were some ugly notes, Edward."

I grinned, standing up with her in my arms. I wasn't done with her. Not by a long shot. "Those were perfect notes, Isabella. I may have to write a song..."

Her head fell back as I took her down the hall, but as I laid her down in the middle of our bed, the laughter fell away.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #1: **Sets down a pallet of ShamWows** ;) Yeah, I love me some piano...**

**We're getting really, _really_ close to the end, troops. Although, we still have a few things left...Renee being one of them. Sarge has to meet the other parent, right?**

**Okay, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	167. Chapter 167: Bella

**A/N #1: We really debated how we wanted to handle Renee in this story. I've never seen her as evil or a bitch. She loves her daughter. She just...doesn't always show it. I hope by the end of these two chapters, you'll realize she's not the horrible person you think she is. She's not the best mother in the world, but... ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Jacksonville... Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 9:35 A.M.**

I stifled a yawn as Edward guided me down the ramp from the plane with a hand on my lower back. It had been freezing cold in Seattle the night before, and we'd barely left on time just before midnight because of the ice. We'd slept off and on through the flight, but it certainly wasn't the most comfortable night I'd ever spent. Edward looked more refreshed than I did, and I couldn't help but grump about it.

"Only because I'm used to sleeping in...less than satisfactory conditions, love," he explained, humor lacing his tone as he reached up to smooth my hair. I'd pulled it up into a ponytail after leaving it down for the flight, but without a mirror, it wasn't as good as I'd have liked.

"Yeah, well, at least it's only my mom and Phil. They won't care." I shrugged, smiling as he shifted the carry-on luggage in his other hand and grasped my left hand in his right. "Nervous?"

"Not particularly. I mean, I want her to like me, of course, but just worried that I won't be able to hold my tongue about how she treats you," he said, not holding anything back.

I stopped in my tracks, pulling him off to the side to let others go by. "Sarge, I love that you want to come to my defense, but I promise, it's not necessary – especially not now, with my mom. She is who she is. Nothing she says or does is meant to hurt. Most of the time she doesn't realize what she said, did, or _didn't_ say or do was upsetting, and when she does, she's always quick to apologize and try to make it right. That's just the way she is and how she's always been."

"I don't like that you have to make excuses for her," he said, the stress in his voice and his shoulders showing me just how upsetting this truly was for him.

Standing on my tiptoes, I kissed him quickly. "Tell you what," I said, pulling him along as we started for the exit into the airport once more. "If I feel like something she says or does upsets me enough, I'll be sure to tell you, and I'll let you come to my rescue however you want to, okay?"

His answering smile and nod were all the agreement I needed.

Just like when the girls and I had met the boys at Sea-Tac, we met my mom and Phil in baggage claim. I was still searching for them when I heard her squeal.

"Bella! Phil, there she is! Come on!"

I looked up and grinned as my mother came rushing up to me, throwing her arms around me.

"I'm so glad you're here!" she gushed in my ear, nearly vibrating with excitement. She pulled back, her grin stretching from ear to ear as she looked over at Edward. "And you must be Edward. It's so good to meet you! I've heard so much about you from Bella and Charlie, I feel like I already know you!"

I laughed at Edward's stunned expression as Renee hugged him just as fiercely as she'd hugged me. Looking at Phil, who was standing a couple of feet back, an amused smile on his handsome face, I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hi, Phil," I said, holding back my laugh as he moved to hug me rather awkwardly. We weren't close by any means, but he was a good guy and had always been friendly. He treated my mom well and put up with all her quirks and eccentricities, so I had always appreciated him.

"Hey, Bella. Have a good flight?"

"We did. Long, but that's okay. Come here and meet Edward." I looked back and giggled at Edward, who still looked like he'd been thrown into Hurricane Renee as my mother kept peppering him with questions about his time in the Army and how he was settling into Seattle.

I made the introductions and watched as Phil and Edward shook hands, exchanging simple, manly greetings.

"C'mon, Bella. Walk with me. Let the men get the bags," Renee said, looping her arm through mine.

Smiling at Edward with a raised eyebrow, I took my carry-on bag from him as he nodded to indicate that he would get our luggage.

When we got far enough away that the men couldn't hear us, Renee began babbling excitedly. "Bella, he's so cute! The pictures you sent didn't do him justice. And sweetie, you look so happy."

The entire way out to the car, it was a stream of questions and exclamations, with her never letting me get a word in edgewise.

"I loved the pictures of the spare room you sent. The colors aren't what I would have chosen for me, but they're so you, Bella!"

"Is he as good in bed as he looks like he would be?"

"Has he proposed yet?"

By the time the guys caught up to us in the parking lot so Phil could open the car door, I knew my face was beet red. My mother hadn't even paused for answers to her questions, which was good since I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to her about half of them. I was also thankful Edward hadn't heard them. I was embarrassed enough already...

"Better," he murmured softly into my ear as he stepped up beside me, grinning. "And not yet, right, Isabella?"

My face flamed again. "Forgive her," I told him with a laugh. "She lacks a filter."

He shrugged, still looking slightly disoriented. "She's...different." He chuckled. "I have to admit, she's not at all what I expected. Are you okay?"

Nodding, I smiled to show him I was fine. "She's just Renee, and she's always been this way."

"I'm beginning to understand what you and your friends meant." Grinning, he shrugged. "We may all survive the visit after all."

"Come on, you two!" my mother called through her now-lowered window.

Edward took my bag and opened the door. "After you," he said with a grin before climbing in behind me.

~oooOOOooo~

The car ride home to my mom and Phil's house was full of chatter. Renee was full of questions for Edward, and he was taking them all in stride.

"So what are your plans now, Edward?"

"I'm actually signed up to start attending classes at the university in Seattle in January," Edward said from beside me.

"Have you had any college before now?" My mom was half turned in her seat, nearly strangling herself with the seat belt in order to see him.

Edward shook his head. "No, ma'am. I—"

Renee waved her hand. "Call me Renee, or even Mom. No more ma'am stuff."

Nodding once with a slight smile, Edward continued. "I went into the Army straight out of high school after both of my parents passed away."

"Oh, that's right..." She frowned. "Bella told me about your mother. Something with her liver or something, right?"

Edward nodded slowly. "Kidney disease. She passed away when I was eighteen, before I graduated high school."

"Oh," Renee murmured, a frown flitting across her face. "That's so sad. And your dad?"

Edward looked uncomfortable, so I squeezed his hand and said, "He died shortly after that, as well."

She must have understood from my expression that she needed to drop it. With a sad smile, she said, "I'm sure it was hard for you to lose both of them so close together and at such a young age." She floundered for a moment before picking right back up to where she'd left off. "So what are you going to study?"

Conversation flowed the rest of the way to the house, with Edward explaining that he wanted to become a music teacher – to which my mother had squealed excitedly again, claiming how "fun!" it would be for us to teach at the same school. I told her that Jasper was going back to school, as well, and then had to update her on how our friends were all doing now that the boys were back home for good.

"I tell you," Renee said as we followed her into the house. "I don't know how Alice and Rosalie did it, stayed sane while their husbands were overseas. I don't think I could have. They had to be so incredibly strong to survive that, don't you think, Bella?"

"It was hard for them, yeah," I answered softly, looking at Edward as I continued, "but it was worth it, I know."

I could immediately tell that Edward knew I was speaking not only of our friends but of myself. He smiled, winking, before I turned back around to lead him to the stairs.

"C'mon," I said, laughing as I heard my mom call out from the living room.

"No need to worry about sleeping arrangements. Charlie may be a fuddy-duddy, but you can stay with Bella in her room, Edward."

"Thanks, Mom," I yelled back, and then said just loudly enough for Edward to hear, "C'mon, Sarge. I'll show you to my safe haven, away from the crazy."

~oooOOOooo~

After spending a few minutes upstairs, basically hiding away and showing Edward around my room – even after not living here for years, my mom hadn't changed it at all, including the pictures I'd left behind on the bulletin board and posters on the wall – we headed back downstairs.

"Oh, good! There you are," Renee said, grinning. "Come, Edward. I want to show you these pictures. I'm sure Charlie didn't show you many of Bella when she was little."

I groaned but let Edward guide me to the couch with a chuckle, plopping himself down beside my mom.

"I saw a few pictures in Forks, but not many," he said, sounding eager. "I would love to see more."

She did indeed take him back all the way to infancy, explaining in detail as much as she could, from the first bath pictures, to the first bite of baby food that I'd promptly spit out all over myself, to chicken pox when I was six years old – why my mom had felt the need to document front and back completely naked was beyond me, even if she had wanted to show Charlie – to the first time I crashed my bike and knocked out my front tooth.

"At least it was still a baby tooth," I said, laughing at the memory.

"You look so pitiful," Edward teased, pointing to the scraped forehead, nose, and chin.

"Oh! And here she is on her first date," Renee pointed out, showing Edward the picture from when I was twelve.

I hadn't yet grown into my body, so I was still way too skinny, had no breasts, my legs were sticks, and my hair was frizzy from a perm my mother had insisted on trying. Add to that the shiny silver braces on my teeth, and I was amazed I'd had a date to begin with.

"Braces, huh?" Edward winked. "That must be why your smile is so beautiful now, sweetheart."

I rolled my eyes but grinned.

The pictures ended about the time I left to go live with Charlie. The last one in the album was of me, suitcase in hand, waving to the camera at the airport before turning to go through security.

"I have more," Renee said, looking perplexed. "I know Charlie sent me lots of pictures of you from when you lived there, and you've sent me a few since then. I just...don't know where they are."

"They're in a box in the spare room," Phil said, speaking up for the first time since we sat down with the album. "Remember, 'Nee? You keep meaning to go through it and put them in albums, but you never get around to it."

"Oh!" My mom nodded. "That's right. I need to do that!"

I leaned over to explain to Edward what was going on as she closed her eyes, started mouthing something, and waving in the air like she was writing on an invisible chalkboard. "This is how she commits things to memory," I told him quietly, rolling my eyes. "She says it's better than making a list because lists get lost."

Edward's eyes were wide, amused, as he nodded. "Gotcha."

~oooOOOooo~

The rest of the day was a whirlwind of activity. Renee wanted to show us where she'd been spending so much time with her acting group, so we went to visit the auditorium – where she insisted on getting up on stage and performing a scene from her latest role of Linda Loman from _Death of a Salesman_.

"I don't say he's a great man," she recited, shaking her head as she stared off to the side, like she was speaking to her son. "Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He's not the finest character that ever lived." Her voice fell slightly. "But he's a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid. He's not to be allowed to fall in his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must finally be paid to such a person."

When she finished, we clapped and cheered, laughing when she bowed low.

"That's great, Renee," Edward said, smiling. "It sounds like you're having a great time."

"Oh, I am," she told him enthusiastically. "We've performed at several smaller communities outside of Jacksonville and traveled all over this area of the state." Then she frowned. "I think this will be my last play, though. I want to give someone else a chance to be in the spotlight – but my friend Susannah is taking a basket weaving course at the local community center and loves it, so I may join her when I'm finished here. Actual basket weaving, can you believe it?"

_Basket weaving..._ I laughed silently. That was my mother in a nutshell.

"Anyway," she continued, smiling, "let's go home. I have some home movies I want to show Edward."

I groaned, making them all laugh as Edward wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me out of the auditorium.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Whatcha think so far? Flighty, flaky, but she obviously loves her daughter, yeah?**

**Okay, there's more Renee next chapter, plus a fantastic Renee/Edward chat, so leave some love before moving on, wouldja? *hugs* – Jenny**


	168. Chapter 168: Edward

**A/N #1: "Is he as good in bed as he looks like he would be?" ... "Better." LMAO I loved that shit! Oh, Renee, if you only knew... Sigh... Okay, so Sarge is still a little reserved when it comes to Bella's mom...so let's see how the holiday goes.**

**~oOo~**

**Jacksonville... Thursday, November 25, 2010 at 6:46 A.M.**

I took a long sip of coffee, staring out over the water. I hadn't wanted to disturb Bella. Her mother had kept her up late chattering about every topic known to man. My girl had handled it with grace, placating her mother until a yawn came out of her mouth with every other word. It was then I'd excused us to bed. Bella hadn't exactly protested.

It would be an understatement to say that Renee was _not_ what I was expecting. At all. She was a little oblivious, a whole lot of everywhere at once, and she really, truly adored her daughter. But if I had to guess, she actually _admired_ Bella for all the things she wasn't – calm, settled, and at ease in her own skin. But that was merely my theory from being with them for a little less than twenty-four hours. My guard was still up around the woman, not only because I needed to be accepted by Bella's mother, but also because I hated, absolutely fucking detested having my girl hurt. And despite my girl's protestations, I knew that Renee had disappointed Bella on more than one occasion.

Renee and Phil owned a condo with a beautiful view of the Atlantic, and the sun was just barely trying to make itself known. It was baby blue, pink, and just a hint of orange coming up over the water. The moon and a few stars tried their best to cling to the last pieces of the night, but they were failing.

I shifted in the deck chair on the back porch, shaking my head. It was strange being back in Florida, but different. Flashes of a different beach, the zoo, and an outrageous game of mini-golf came to mind, and I smiled down at my cup. It seemed so fucking long ago, but at the same time, like a blink of an eye. Damn, I wouldn't trade a fucking second of it.

"You're up early," I heard softly behind me.

Glancing up, I saw Renee with her own cup of coffee leaning against the sliding glass doorway.

I smiled and nodded. "Some old habits die hard," I told her. "I could say the same for you."

"My sleeping is erratic." She chuckled, taking a seat in the chair next to mine. "Some days, I stay up all night...others, I just wake up too early." She smiled over at me, and I could see Bella in it. "Or maybe I was just excited about today."

I snickered a little and gazed out over the water again, thinking that sort of fit with her personality. The colors were brightening, the pinks having given way to bright yellow.

"It's rare she lets me take care of her," Renee continued, wearing a small yet sad smile, but then she laughed. "I promise you, Edward, that when she wakes up, the first thing she's going to want to do is cook, simply because she thinks she has to."

"True." I laughed, nodding, because that was the last thing my sweet girl had muttered to me before falling asleep. "Did you have plans, then?" I asked her, grinning when she nodded just like Bella.

"Yes, of course," she said haughtily. "I want to take you kids out. Treat you. No cooking, no cleaning, no _football._" She stressed the last word with a roll of her eyes. "I'm sure you had enough of that with Charlie. And there's this great place just up the beach."

"Sounds great," I hedged, grinning again down at my cup. "Now you just have to tell Bella she can't cook."

Renee snorted and nodded. "Don't I know it."

We were quiet for a moment, something that shocked me, but it was welcome nonetheless. Seagulls started calling to one another, the waves crashed in the distance, and wind rustled the palm trees in front of us. It was soothing. And suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to go wrestle my girl out of bed just to bring her out here to see it.

"You love her," Renee suddenly said, though her voice was soft.

I gazed over at her, studying her expression. It was shock and awe, maybe even a touch of jealousy, but I couldn't be sure. And I could see my girl over every bit of that woman's face – the wrinkle of the nose, the minute tilt of the head, the slight rise of an eyebrow, and even the dark locks curling around her shoulders. The only thing I didn't see was Bella's soulful, warm brown eyes, which she truly got from Charlie.

"Yes," I said slowly and carefully. "Very much. She's...everything to me." My voice might have come across as a little harsh. I wasn't worried about her approval as much as Charlie's, but I also didn't want my intentions with Bella to be unknown to her.

"Good," she said, her eyes watering a little. "Bella needs someone that will pamper her. Lord knows, she spent her whole life as this...tiny little grownup. She took care of me, of Charlie, and herself."

"That's just who she is," I defended, shrugging a shoulder. "Bella takes care of people she loves. I'm not sure that'll ever change, no matter how much I try to pamper her."

A touch of guilt flashed across Renee's features, and I finally saw what Bella had been talking about. Her mother totally meant well, but at some point in Bella's life, my girl had just...taken control in their relationship. She became the rock, allowing Renee to explore...well, Renee. There had been a time when Renee had needed a ten-year-old Bella to make sure the rent and utilities were paid, but now, the mother really, truly wanted to return the favor to her daughter without dredging up anything from the past. Renee was, by no means, stupid.

"And just how do you plan on pampering her?" Renee suddenly asked. "Bella says that you're going back to school..."

I laughed, holding up a hand. "My parents left me... Well, I'm fine. Let's put it that way. Bella doesn't have to work if she doesn't want to, but I'd never tell her that. She loves teaching, and her students adore her."

There was a part of me that wanted to tell her that she'd know these things about Bella had she only made the effort to visit Seattle, but I didn't. I was pretty fucking sure that Renee knew that.

Heavy, thumping footsteps down the stairs caught our attention, and we both waved to a sleepy-headed Phil, who made a bee-line straight for the coffee maker in the kitchen.

I drained the last dregs in my cup, standing up from my chair. I smiled down at Renee, having finally come to some sort of understanding about her.

"I guess I'll go plead your non-cooking case to Bella," I told her with a chuckle.

Renee giggled and stood up next to me. She pulled me into an unexpected hug and then kissed my cheek. "I'm glad she's got you. She needs you," she stated softly, but her eyes were warm. "I know my daughter, Edward. She talks about you more than she's talked about anyone in her entire life. She looks at you like you hung the moon. She never needed me, but she really does need you."

Frowning, I let out a sigh. "Take it from me; you always need your mom, Renee...in _any_ capacity."

She smiled and nodded. "Go wake our girl, okay? And tell her whatever shopping list she's making can go in the garbage. Maybe we can walk the beach later... Oh! Or there's this really sweet theater that will be open later..."

Chuckling at her sudden shift in gears, I stepped back inside the house, fixed a cup of coffee for Bella with enough cream and sugar to put someone in a coma, and made my way upstairs. Just as Renee and I had guessed, Bella was sitting cross-legged in bed, a pad of paper and pen in hand.

"Morning, sweet girl," I said, setting the coffee on her nightstand and dropping a kiss to her forehead.

"I have to find an open grocery store. My mom has hardly anything I need in order to..."

I took the pad and pen, yanking them from her hands, and tossed them over my shoulder before falling down over her, pushing her gently to her back. I smiled as I braced my hands on either side of her head.

"Edward," she protested, her brow furrowing, but there was a smile playing on her lips as I kissed them to shut her up.

"Hush, beautiful. You aren't doing anything today, except what your mom tells you," I told her, brushing my lips across hers.

"Oh, what? Now you and Renee are BFFs?" She giggled, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"We might be." I chuckled, settling in the cradle of her thighs. "I can be...very charming when I want to be."

"Don't I know it." She laughed, squeaking when my hand shot underneath the T-shirt of mine that she was wearing in order to tickle her ribs.

"And your mom just wants to spoil you," I stated, raising an eyebrow up at her, but I kissed her again.

I wanted to tell her that Renee struggled with the thought that Bella didn't need her, but the two of them had a dynamic that just worked, and I just didn't want to fuck with that. Ever. My unease at meeting Renee faded away into just wanting Bella to have a good time. Why mess with a good thing? In a small way, I envied Bella.

"Come, baby," I said, pushing off of her. "She and Phil want to take us somewhere."

"Where?"

"Would you quit asking questions and get your sweet ass out of bed?" I laughed, pulling her up.

"Okay, okay," Bella acquiesced with a giggle, standing up and grabbing the coffee I'd made for her, "but only if you shower with me."

Smirking, I couldn't help but step closer. "Why Isabella...whatever do you have in mind?"

"Shower with me, and I'll show you, Mr. Obtuse." She laughed, squealing when I stepped menacingly forward again. "I might need to start this day off right in order to survive it."

"Mm," I groaned, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face in her neck. "Yes, ma'am..."

~oooOOOooo~

"What a nasty witch!" Renee exclaimed in an over-exaggerated whisper as she and Bella walked arm in arm on the beach.

I rolled my eyes, but Tanya did bring out the best reactions in people.

"Man, that was kinda cold," Phil muttered beside me.

I snorted and shrugged. I was feeling full from dinner, tired from having traveled, and if I were to be honest, a little homesick for Seattle – even though the flight back tomorrow would be long and tedious. However, I wouldn't have traded coming here for anything because the look on Bella's face was truly my reward. She'd come here expecting to have to run the show, and she didn't, so watching her just enjoy her mother's company was amazing to me.

Dinner had been filled with animated conversations and really good food. The restaurant had been on an old pier made to look like a fishing shack, but the food had been outstanding. Along with the traditional Thanksgiving menu, they'd also offered foods with a touch of Florida in them – grouper sandwiches, key lime pie, and oyster stuffing...the last of which I just about gorged myself on.

Phil and I had listened to the two women reminisce about holidays past in quiet amusement, but it was true what Bella had said. Renee didn't settle down in places for very long. In fact, Phoenix and Jacksonville had been the longest.

"I know, right?" Bella giggled, rolling those beautiful brown eyes up to her mother.

I chuckled at her, finally turning to Phil. "Best thing that ever happened to me, though," I admitted to him.

He grinned, slapping my shoulder. "Sometimes it happens that way."

We arrived back at the condo, and I had to admit that walking had helped with my full stomach, but I wanted to groan when Renee piped up with more plans and activities.

"So...movies, and there's this little shopping center that'll be open early for Black Friday..."

Phil, though, moaned, rolling his eyes. "Renee, sweetheart, give us a break, will ya? Let them breathe."

"You just want a nap," she accused, smirking at him while poking a finger into his chest.

"Yes! Absolutely," he said with an amused chuckle, "but I'd settle for a cup of coffee and a chance to sit down for a minute."

"But they're leaving tomorrow," she argued, frowning.

"Mom," Bella said, stepping in but also taking my hand, "we'll go wherever you want, but I could use coffee, too. That food made me sleepy."

And there it was. The dynamic they'd always shared. Renee immediately gushed about some new creamer and dragged her daughter inside to make the coffee. I sat down on the lounger on the back deck, deciding it was my favorite spot. It kept me in earshot of Bella, but it also afforded them their own privacy.

It wasn't long before a mug shot into my view.

"Here, handsome," Bella said, sitting down between my legs when I patted the cushion. "You okay?"

Chuckling, I kissed the skin of her neck once as I pulled her back to my chest. "I'm better than okay, love. I've got the most beautiful woman in my lap. What the hell is there to complain about?"

"Well, the fact that my mother can wear people out?" She snickered, picking up her cup and taking a sip.

"You've met Emmett, right?" I joked. "Big guy? Talks too much? Zero filter from his brain to his mouth?"

"Yes," she answered with a giggle, turning to kiss my cheek. "Point taken, Edward."

"I'm glad we came. Seeing your mother is good for you," I told her, kissing her temple. "I still think she needs to come visit you, but...maybe that's not always feasible."

"Hey," she whispered, turning just a little so that deep, sweet brown eyes scanned over my face.

"What, sweet girl?"

"Let's spend Christmas alone...just the two of us," she suggested, shrugging a shoulder. "At least Christmas Eve. I know Charlie will want us down for Christmas Day, but..."

I grinned and then dropped a kiss to her lips. She tasted like sugar and coffee and the mint she'd eaten after dinner. "That sounds...really fucking good."

"Okay, kids!" Renee sang from inside the house. "What movie are we seeing?"

My chuckle snorted into a full-blown laugh when both Bella and Phil groaned.

"Whatever you want, Mom," Bella sighed, shaking her head slightly.

I took her cup of coffee and set it on the table, only to turn her sideways in my lap. Kissing her lips softly, I trailed my lips down her cheek to her ear.

"Mmm," I hummed, opening my mouth for just a small taste of her. "Too bad your mom's going... The things we could get away with in a cold, dark theater, Isabella..."

Fingers wove into my hair, holding me where she wanted me as I left small kisses just behind her earlobe.

"You... You're the devil, babe," she responded with a soft laugh.

"Perhaps," I purred against the shell of her ear, tracing my tongue around it.

She laughed, shoving me back a little and standing up. "Come on, Sarge. We'll test your theory when we get back to Seattle."

Grinning, I took her hand when she offered it and stood up in front of her. "Excellent," I praised, causing her to laugh. "We'll have a few days when we get home before you go back to school."

My girl's eyes softened at the mention of the word "home." And I understood. We could go anywhere, but our house on the quiet little street had truly become our safe haven. It had been the goal for so long that we lived for the little bubble we'd created.

"I know, love," I said, kissing her forehead. "Come on, we'll play the dutiful kids for a few more hours, and then tomorrow, we can go home. Okay?"

She smiled, kissed my lips, and nodded. "Okay."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Renee's not so bad. Easily distracted, but at her heart, she means well. This started out one of the hardest chapters to write, but I ended up really liking how it turned out. Funny how that happens.**

**By the way, oyster stuffing is AMAZING! My uncle used to make it every year. God, I miss it. It's not as...fishy as you're thinking it to be, I imagine. It's also not as dry and flavorless as regular stuffing or dressing. And before you ask, no, I don't have the recipe. I wish I did, but I don't. :(**

**So...if you guessed, Christmas Eve just the two of them is next. :) So with that being said, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	169. Chapter 169: Bella

**A/N #1: Most of you seemed to like Renee. I know there are those of you who don't, and I respect that. She's not the world's greatest mom, for sure. But she loves Bella unconditionally, and in the end, that's what is important. Trust me, I'd take Renee in a heartbeat... Anyway, now on to Christmas...well, Eve. :) Neither Deb nor I wanted to do a big holiday. So we compromised because we couldn't NOT write their first Christmas together. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, December 24, 2010 at 4:22 P.M.**

"Sweetheart, you want some more cocoa?" Edward murmured, holding his hand out.

"Mmm, yeah, thanks." I smiled, handing him my now empty mug.

As he went to the kitchen for more hot chocolate, I gazed into the fireplace, thinking of all the changes we'd made to the house in the last month.

The first, of course, was the gorgeous fireplace currently situated in the entertainment center that held the television. The weather had been unseasonably warm for most of November, but once the cold weather hit, Edward had suggested trying to find a gas or gel fireplace that would work. We'd found this one almost immediately. Because the room didn't have a lot of extra wall space, finding one that was in a media unit was perfect for our needs. The TV sat on top of it, and there was plenty of room on the shelves for all the gaming stuff plus some books and pictures.

We'd also painted the living room and bedroom. Not huge changes, but it went from feeling like some general house to a home. Since we were renting, there wasn't a lot else we could do, but just the small changes had made a difference.

And once we'd gotten back from Florida, we'd started looking at the Christmas decorations I already had. I usually had a fake tree, but since this was our first Christmas together, we both decided we wanted to do a live one. That meant waiting a couple of weeks, but before then, we hung up garland, put out other decorations, and made the house feel like Christmas. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, we'd gone with the gang to one of the tree farms in the area and cut our own. It was currently situated in the corner, and although we'd had to shift things around to fit, it was perfect. We'd thought about sticking with a couple of colors, but in the end, with the personal ornaments – including a couple that Irina had saved and included in one of the boxes from Chicago – and the lights, it was kind of a mess, but we loved it and thought it was beautiful.

Edward handed me my mug and then slid down onto the couch beside me. "We did a good job, didn't we?"

Leaning over to kiss him once, I agreed with a nod. "We did."

"Have you heard from the girls?"

"Oh! Yeah, Alice texted about an hour ago while you were outside, shoveling the snow. They got there just fine."

Edward smiled. "Good. I figured they would, but it's kind of slick out, so that's good to know." He took a sip of hot chocolate before speaking again. "I bet Alice was glad to see her parents."

Smiling, I said, "Yeah, I'm sure she was. They've always been close. Her parents are great. They weren't really strict, but then...Alice wasn't really a hellion or anything. Esme was a good mother figure whenever I needed one after moving to Forks. It wasn't that my mom wouldn't listen if I needed her to, but sometimes, it was just easier to have a mother's shoulder right there to cry on or a mother's perspective about a situation if she knew the players involved. And Carlisle is just...well, there's really no better way to say it than he's Carlisle." I laughed, shaking my head. "He's so selfless, and he'll go out of his way to help you if you need it. He has all the nurses pining for him because he's so sexy—" I giggled at Edward's raised eyebrow. "Sorry, but he is. He looks younger than he is, so people are surprised when they find out he's old enough to be a grandfather."

"Jasper seems happy with them," he commented.

I nodded. "He is. They accepted him from minute one, treating him like a son. He loves Ali like crazy, and they can tell that. They're great because they love Emmett, Rose, and me like their own, too, just like I know they will you." I squeezed his thigh, where my hand was resting gently.

"Are you upset that you aren't with them down in Forks now?" Edward looked a little worried, sad, and definitely curious.

Shaking my head once, I moved, angling my body more toward him. "Babe, this was the right decision for both of us. Tomorrow, we're going to Forks to spend the day with my family. I'll get to see Esme and Carlisle then. I _wanted_ to spend some of it with just the two of us. Today is about us as a couple – celebrating our first Christmas together. Don't doubt at all that this is what I wanted, okay?"

After a moment, he smiled, leaning in to kiss me softly. "Okay," he murmured against my lips.

When the kiss didn't seem to be stopping, he reached over and put his mug on the table beside the couch. Then he took mine and set it beside his, never once letting his lips move from mine. He cupped my hip and tugged. I took the hint and moved to straddle him, groaning when he rocked his hips.

A few minutes, clothes were scattered around us on the floor, the fire warming our skin as our bodies, sated, finally relaxed once more.

~oooOOOooo~

A few hours later, our dinner of frozen pizza finished, Edward and I were settled on the couch in front of the television. We'd debated which of the multiple Christmas movies playing on TV to watch, but in the end, it really hadn't been a hard decision.

"_Ohh, what about _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_?" I asked, pointing to ABC Family on the list of channels._

"_If it were the animated version, maybe," Edward said, grimacing. "Not the Jim Carrey one." He watched as I scrolled down farther. "Wait, go back up." When I did, he said, "What about _Miracle on 34th Street_?"_

_I shook my head. "Not the new version. I like the old one, but I think that's later tonight."_

_We both shook our heads at Arnold Schwarzenegger's _Jingle All the Way_ and _White Christmas_ with Bing Crosby, but TBS was the winner._

"_Yes! I love this movie," Edward said, nodding as I hit play._

"_Me, too. I've seen _A Christmas Story_ at least once every Christmas season." I laughed, shaking my head. "Rose and Alice hate it, but I love it. Charlie does, too, so we usually watch it together – sometimes two or three times."_

Somehow, we made it through the ninety-minute movie relatively chastely. Hands had wandered, lips had caressed, but both of us had spent most of the movie actually _watching_ it.

Turning over to face him, I grinned. "I swear, my favorite part is the dogs getting the turkey and then the family having to eat Chinese food for Christmas dinner. The looks on their faces when the waiter solves the problem of the head-on duck are priceless!"

Edward snickered and nodded. "I love that, too, but I gotta go with the leg lamp..."

"Of course you do," I teased, rolling my eyes. "You're such a guy."

"Don't doubt it, sweetheart," he growled, nipping at my jaw.

I pulled away, laughing. "Not now, cowboy. I need to use the bathroom and grab something from the bedroom. Get me some hot chocolate and meet me back here?"

Kissing me softly, Edward smiled against my lips. "Love you, sweet girl."

I kissed him back, taking a moment just to breathe him in. "Love you, too."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Just some sweet together time to celebrate the holiday alone before they have to go meet up with the gang. I promise, the fun continues next chapter. ;)**

**By the way... Several of you have mentioned the kitten... Trust me, we have NOT forgotten. ;) But think about it... He got home, and shortly after, they had to travel to Forks for the wedding. Then there was Thanksgiving, and now Christmas. They wouldn't want to leave a fairly new kitten alone each time, nor would they want to travel with it, having to deal with where to keep it while out of town, etc. I promise...you will get the kitten – and more – before the story ends. ;)**

**Now, leave some love (it's one of the last times you'll be able to... *sniffle*), and then head on over to finish out Christmas with Deb and Sarge. – Jenny**


	170. Chapter 170: Edward

**A/N #1: Okay, Christmas just the two of them. You gotta love that. Some of my fave holidays have been just the hubs and me. This chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING... I know, you'll read it anyway. So go on... And please see me at the bottom.**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Friday, December 24, 2010 at 8:35 P.M.**

I set the two mugs of hot chocolate down onto the coffee table before clicking the TV off and turning on a CD of Christmas music that Bella had asked me to record on the piano. I snorted, hearing my own mistakes, but it wasn't something she'd most likely catch.

With a nervous hand through my hair, I walked into the library and straight to my father's old desk. I knew I was about to get into trouble, but I couldn't just let our first Christmas go by without getting my girl _something_, despite how we'd agreed that we didn't need anything. It was just supposed to be us, a celebration of being together after a really long year of waiting, writing letters, pining to be with each other. I opened the bottom drawer and pulled the small wrapped gift out from behind the file folders. Thinking maybe I'd wait for another time, or perhaps present it to her for the new year, I'd stashed it away, but after spending such an amazing evening with her, I wanted her to have it. It sort of fit with why we were alone for the holiday anyway.

Walking into the living room, I cracked a smile. It seemed I wasn't the only one that had broken our rule. Setting my own wrapped gift next to another one on the coffee table, I chuckled down at my girl, who was lying lengthwise on the sofa, wrapped in a quilt. Falling down over her, I smirked as she eyed the two gifts.

"We're both liars, huh?" She giggled, cupping my face.

"It's good we found out now," I said, using a false sincerity to my tone. "I mean...it gives us something for our New Year's resolutions. Otherwise, it'll soon be lies, lies, nothing but lies all the time."

Bella laughed, pushing at me until we both sat up. "Fine, Pinocchio. Let's see, then."

Raising an eyebrow up at her, I suddenly snatched her gift up, ripping at the paper, but her laughter made me stop.

"What? There's a time for being a gentleman, but Christmas presents isn't it!" I explained, absolutely reveling in that happy face that was now suddenly nervous. I stopped, setting the gift on my lap. "What, sweet girl?"

"It's just... It's not much, but I thought you could use it. I mean...and it looked so much like you," she rattled off, biting nervously at her thumbnail.

Leaning over, I pressed a kiss to her wrinkled brow. "It could be a bowling ball, and I'd love it, my beautiful girl."

She snorted, rolling her eyes, and poked the side of my leg. "It's not a bowling ball, Edward."

"I can see that." I chuckled, only to lean in to her ear. "Thank God. I hate bowling," I whispered.

Bella merely shook her head at me, watching my every move as I tore off the wrapping paper. Inside the small box was a little black book with an elastic band around it. Opening it up, my eyebrows rose high into my hairline. It was a music journal of sorts, filled with blank composition pages. On the front of the leather cover, my initials – EAM – were engraved on a small plate, surrounded by a couple of music notes. It was really beautiful.

"You asked for composition pages while you were overseas," Bella said softly. "And you'll be starting school next month... I thought maybe..."

Cupping her chin, I forced her nervous gaze to mine. "It's absolutely perfect, love. I will use the hell out of this." I kissed her lips softly, pressing my forehead to hers. "Thank you, Bella."

"The cover comes off so you can put in a new notebook when that one's full," she added, sounding much more confident and relaxed now.

I kissed her again, losing myself for just a moment, simply because I could. Pulling away, I reached over, setting my gift for her in her lap.

"It seems we were thinking similarly, but while you were concerned with the future, I went with the past," I said with a smirk.

My girl was neater when it came to unwrapping her gift than I had been. But when a book was revealed, her fingers immediately opened to the first page, which caused a gasp to escape her.

"Is this...? Did you...?" she sputtered, suddenly flipping through several pages, only to occasionally stop to read.

"Every single letter and email between us up until I came home," I whispered, glancing worriedly between the book in her shaking hands to her now watery eyes. "I never want to lose them."

The company that I'd found had done an amazing job; they'd used copies with our own handwriting for the first letters but had transcribed every email into a beautiful font for every word after that. They'd bound it all in leather, using a parchment-like paper in order to give it that classic look.

"I tried to wait," I rambled, glancing over her shoulder at a few pages, "but I found that I couldn't."

Truer words never had been spoken. In fact, I found that there were a lot of things that I just couldn't wait on any longer. It was all I could do not to beg her right then to marry me. But I didn't think the time was right. I knew I needed to wait, give ourselves time to acclimate to being together on some sort of daily basis, but fuck me to tears, I wanted it. With moving, Charlie's wedding, traveling for the holidays, my getting accepted into UW, and Bella's school schedule, I'd yet to find that right time. But it was getting harder and harder not to just beg her to be my wife. What kept my mouth shut was the fact that her ring wasn't even in the house.

"I'm glad you didn't," she gushed, turning to kiss me quickly. "Edward, it's really amazing. And to see them back to back..."

"I know," I said with a nod. "It's like watching the whole thing happen." Sweeping her hair off of her neck, I chuckled softly against her skin. "You like it, I'm guessing."

"I do! I love it! Thank you," she gushed, closing it, only to open it back to the beginning.

Bella barely took her eyes off of the pages, even when I shifted us on the couch so that she was sitting between my legs. Pulling her back to my chest, I read over her shoulder as she skimmed through the first few letters. Just our simple, kind, polite introductions brought back the memories of where I'd been, how she'd made me feel.

"_Hello, Sergeant Masen! You don't know me. My name is Bella Swan."_

"_But if I never hear from you again, Miss Swan, which I completely understand...again, thank you. Sincerely, Sergeant Edward Anthony Masen"_

"Cookie Thief," Bella said with a giggle, which only made me smile against her shoulder.

"You still are!" I growled dramatically. "Not every cookie makes it into the jar."

"It's my right as baker, Edward," she argued, leaning in to my kiss to her cheek.

Easy, getting-to-know-you conversations slowly changed to revealing histories, past loves, the deaths of my parents, and finally, Twenty Questions – the latter of which changed everything. Walls started to come down, the flirting started to kick up, and it was pretty fucking obvious that the two of us were falling just about the same time. And it all came bubbling over when I got hurt.

"Fuck, everything changed then," I sighed softly, shaking my head at the emails that occurred after the Skype session where we'd both said "I love you" for the first time.

"Yeah," she said slowly, softly, and with a slight nod of her head, but then she snorted into a sexy-as-hell giggle. "I can't believe you had the doc measure your cock..."

I groaned at the sound of that word escaping her lips and at the fact that I'd been that fucked up on pain meds to allow someone to do it. My forehead hit her shoulder as she laughed that much harder.

"The doc asked, love," I snorted, shaking my head but keeping my face buried. "I'd just finished reading one of your emails; I was stoned on pain meds, so I had a severe problem at the moment. When he mentioned the reaction of my body, the request came flying out of my mouth before I could stop myself."

She closed the book, set it on the table, and turned over so that we were stomach to stomach. "You know, Sarge," she purred, her eyes dark as she braced her hands on my shoulders, "we can't exactly show the kids or grandkids this book."

"Or anyone else, for that matter," I clarified with a chuckle, tucking her hair behind her ear with one hand while the other skimmed over the T-shirt of mine that she was wearing and down to her sweet bottom that was barely covered in soft cotton. "We weren't exactly..."

"Rated G," she finished with an adorable snort, but then bit down on her bottom lip. "We said it all, you know..."

"Mm," I hummed against her lips. "We did. And we haven't even come close to acting some of those out..."

"So true..." she breathed, rubbing her body just right against my now-growing cock to make me shudder. "But the ones we have were so, so good..."

"You still look so fucking sexy in my shirts," I stated, gripping her bottom so that I could pull her up to straddle me.

"I can't get in an elevator unless you're with me," she said with a sexy grin and a tortuously slow roll of her hips.

"Do we even shower alone anymore?" I asked, smiling crookedly up at her as she loomed over me. Her hair fell around us like a curtain, smelling clean, flowery, and a touch like the cookies she'd baked earlier to take to Charlie's.

"Not if we don't have to." She laughed, running her fingers through my hair. "And don't get me started on this place," she said, waving a finger around. "Is there a spot in this house we haven't defiled?"

"I doubt it," I crooned against her lips, "but I'm all for repeats. You know, just in case we missed someplace."

"True."

"God, you are so beautiful," I sighed, tracing my finger along her cheekbone as I reveled in her sweet, silly, slightly lust-filled face. The combination on her was absolutely fucking breathtaking.

Bella's eyes were heavy-lidded, but her smile softened into warm and wanting. Her body molded to mine as she leaned down to kiss me. My hands skimmed up her thighs, over her bottom, and underneath her shirt.

"I love your hands on me," she whispered against my lips, only to pull away long enough for me to gather up her shirt and toss it to the living room floor.

My hands didn't stop; they merely continued to touch every inch of her. I held her breasts in my hands, my thumbs brushing lightly across her peaked nipples just to hear the sweet whimper that always escaped her. Trailing my fingertips down her spine, I slipped underneath the waistband of the bright red and green boyshorts she was wearing.

Bending my legs behind her, I whispered, "Lie back."

I tugged at her legs so that her feet were on my chest. Grabbing her underwear, I pulled them down and off of her, which left me with the best view of her hot, wet pussy sitting on my bare chest.

"Look at how wet you are, love," I purred, teasing the inside of her thighs with a single finger. I bit down on my bottom lip, trying my damnedest to not just eat her alive, but I was pretty sure I'd fail. "How'd that happen?"

"Your letters, Edward," she panted, her head falling back as my finger slipped just inside her folds to taunt her. I could feel her soft hair down my legs, the tips tickling the tops of my feet. "The things you said to me...I ended up in this state every time."

I smiled, kissing her ankles. Her thighs pressed together and her hips raised up, but I stopped her. "Uh uh, sweet girl. Open up for me. I want to watch my fingers fuck you."

Her legs fell open, and the heat and wetness that enveloped my finger as I slid inside of her caused a hissing string of curses to erupt from me. My thumb found her clit, circling it, applying just enough pressure to make her walls clench.

Bella's body rolled from head to toe in a glorious, wanton wave. "More, baby, please."

"How many, Isabella?" I asked, her nipping at the skin of her calf. "How many fingers did I tell you to use?"

"Umm... Ah, fuck," she gasped when I added a second finger inside of her.

"How many, love?"

"Th-Three," she finally answered, her voice raspy.

"That's right, three. Look at me, baby," I commanded. "Watch me make you come..."

My girl's brow was glistening with sweat as she sat up, but her breathing was coming out in pants as I removed my fingers from her and licked the flavor of her off of them, only to slide inside her again – this time, with a third finger. Fuck, she was so wet, so hot, and so very, very close as she watched what my hand was doing to her, the sound almost overshadowing the music that was playing in the background.

Using my other hand, I spread her open, finding her clit swollen and so sensitive. Starting with a slow circle, I teased it, flicked it, finally applying enough pressure to feel her climax almost reach its breaking point.

"Oh, sweet girl. Come for me," I begged her because I needed to be inside of her soon.

Watching her, feeling her, tasting her was driving me mad. I was hard as steel, throbbing to the point of it being painful. She was too beautiful, too responsive to my touch for her own good. She was the epitome of sexy and sensual.

Her walls clenched hard. Her head fell back again as my name filled the room. But it was the raising of her hips, her feet pushing up off of me, and the shaky grip of her hands on her thighs that made me smile in triumph. Her whole body jerked, her fingers grasping at my wrists to pull me away. As she sat up, I could feel her juices against the skin of my stomach.

"Put your legs down, baby," she said, scooting back and tugging my boxers down.

With quick movements, we shifted until I was braced over her because I couldn't wait much longer. Staring down at her at the same time I lifted one of her legs between us, I knew I wouldn't last very long without asking her to be mine in every way, to be my wife. I'd thought I could wait, but I'd been so fucking wrong. I loved her too much, needed her too much to keep holding it back.

But for now, all I could articulate was, "Merry Christmas, my sweet girl. I love you."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: Okay, Troops... It's with a heavy heart and with unbelievably happy smiles that Jenny and I let you know that the last 3 regular chapters will post tomorrow. The epilogue will post shortly after that...and then any outtakes that we write will post after that. There is no longer a daily schedule after tomorrow. **

**Sarge's Girls on FB will stay up, so feel free to come in and continue to play. Jenny and I can still be reached at all the same places, so don't worry. We're not disappearing. :)**

**You guys have no idea how much we appreciate all the love that you have shown this story. None. The explosion of reviews, the endless recs, and the noms for awards were more than we were truly expecting when we started this. We really just wanted to write a simple love story with elements of real life, but something fun and uncomplicated. It has been an absolute blast not only writing this with Jenny, who I love and respect so, so much, but meeting new readers, playing, laughing, and just enjoying the time spent with all of you. I truly want to thank each and every one of you. :)**

**So for the last time... We'll see you guys tomorrow. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	171. Chapter 171: Bella

**A/N #1: We promised you guys we wouldn't end this story without a kitten... I hope it is worth the wait. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Tuesday... December 28, 2010 at 1:02 P.M.**

"Are you _sure_ we have everything we need?" Edward asked for the second time since we'd left the house.

I laughed, turning into the animal shelter's parking lot. Parking in a spot close to the door, I turned in my seat to face him. "Babe, we set up the scratching post and unwrapped all the toys. The litter box is filled and in the laundry room, the food and water bowls are in the corner of the kitchen, and you have the new collar, right?"

He nodded, chuckling. "Sorry. I just want everything to be perfect."

He was so sweet, like a little boy getting his first pet.

Leaning over, I kissed him once and then cupped his face. "It will be. Don't worry so much. Now, let's go pick out a kitten."

The minute we walked through the shelter door, I felt my heart clench. I could hear the adult dogs barking from the big room in the back, and off to one side of the large main room, the cats were meowing their own chorus. Higher-pitched yips and mewls came from the room on the other side, clearly labeled Puppies & Kittens, and that's where we were headed.

"Hello," an older woman behind the counter said in greeting. "May I help you?"

I took Edward's hand and led him to the desk. "We'd like to see your kittens."

"Of course." She smiled. "They're right in the room there. Feel free to look around, and if you don't see any you like, I can take you back to see the older cats."

"Thank you," Edward told her, giving her the smile that made my heart jump-start every time.

When the door to the smaller room closed behind us, the din of noise coming from the other rooms lessened. Most of the young animals in this room were quiet, either sleeping or eating from the small dish in their cage. A few were just sitting there behind the cage door, looking out into the room, their eyes trained on us as we entered.

"God, there are so many," I breathed, swallowing around a lump in my throat.

All in all, I could see four cages with several puppies each and three cages with kittens. In one of the puppy cages, the mommy dog was nursing four babies that couldn't have been more than two weeks old. They were some kind of mixed breed. Beside them was a cage with two puppies that looked like they were almost ready to move back to the adult dog section of the shelter. The third cage of puppies were obviously bulldogs. They were so wrinkled and ugly that they were cute.

In the last cage, the puppies didn't look much older than the first – on closer inspection, the card in the lower left corner of the cage said they were six-week-old Havanese. They were the cutest things I'd ever seen, with silky, soft-looking black fur, adorable faces, and the saddest possible expressions. Three were curled around each other, but one was huddled in the corner by himself. His head was down on his front paws – one of which was white on the toes to match the white tip of his muzzle. I put my finger in through the wire of the cage and stroked his soft head, feeling my heart break when he nuzzled his head against my finger once before shying away.

Giving that precious baby one last sad look, I turned my attention to Edward, who was across the small room with the kittens.

"Find one you like?" I asked, slipping my arm through his.

Edward nodded his head toward one cage, where a kitten was alone, sitting right at the bars, mewing softly. The card read: "Female, 6 weeks old, domestic longhair. Found abandoned in street on 12/02/10."

"I'll go ask her to come get her out for us," I murmured, squeezing his arm.

~oooOOOooo~

"Hold on," Edward said softly to the kitten as he carefully put the cat carrier in the back seat, pulling the seat belt tight around. The kitten meowed pitifully as Edward jostled the carrier into position. "Shh, Cookie. It's okay. You'll be fine."

I turned in my seat. "Cookie?" Raising an eyebrow, I couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping.

Edward shrugged. "It seemed fitting."

Looking at his adorable face, cheeks tinged pink from embarrassment and a boyish grin in place, I smiled and nodded. "I like it."

The pink disappeared, and the boyish grin turned into his trademark sexy crooked smile as he straightened and closed the door, coming around to the driver's seat. Just before getting into the car, he said, "Oh! I'll be right back. I forgot the paperwork."

While he was inside, I turned back to face the kitten, trying to soothe her crying by speaking softly. Watching her pace back and forth at the edge of the door to the carrier, I couldn't help but grin. Edward had been so cute when the shelter lady had come back to the room to get her out for him.

"_Okay," the older woman said as she shuffled into the room. "You're interested in this little one, hmm?" At Edward's nod, she smiled. "She had a bad case of fleas and ringworm when she was brought in, so she had to be treated before she could be released for adoption. We just put her out last week. For some reason, we've had a run of people interested in little boy kittens, but not many for little girls. So you're the first ones who've asked to see her, which is a shame because she's just a lovey, aren't you, sweetheart?" She lifted the mewling kitten out of the cage, petting her little furry head softly. "Here you go, young man."_

_Edward beamed and gently took the kitten from the woman's hands. "Ouch! Watch the claws, little one," he scolded gently._

_We all started to scramble as the kitten climbed up the sleeves of Edward's sweatshirt, but to all of our surprise, she settled on his shoulder, digging her claws into the fabric as she began purring. Her head was right by his ear, and he grinned._

"_That tickles." Edward looked up at me. "What do you think?"_

_I laughed softly. "I think she's chosen you."_

_He beamed another grin and turned to the shelter lady. "We'll take her."_

Five minutes later, Edward opened the door to the car and climbed in, waving the papers and pulling me out of my thoughts. "Sorry. I wanted to get her recommendation on a good vet in the area, and she was on the phone, so I had to wait."

Shrugging, I turned back to face the front. I'd been turned to look back at the kitten, who was still yowling loudly, sounding so lonely. "It's okay. Cookie kept me company."

Edward grinned. "Good. Let's go home."

I gave one last glance at the shelter as we drove away. I knew not every dog and cat would be adopted out into good homes, but my heart was breaking for the poor little puppy that had looked so lonely in a cage with his siblings.

_Maybe someday,_ I thought with a sad smile.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: God, every time I've been in a shelter, my heart has just absolutely broken for the animals in there. My family has gotten all but one of our cats (we have three currently and one that has been dead a handful of years now, and one of the ones we have now we got from an ad in the paper giving away kittens) from a shelter, and growing up, we got many of our pets from there, as well. I'm the type of person that when the commercial comes on TV for the ASPCA and what not, I have to mute it and look away because if I watch, I absolutely snot-sob. So I tried hard to put some of that emotion into Bella in this chapter. I hope that came through.**

**By the way, I've never seen a shelter that separates out the puppies and kittens together, so I made that up for this story. *shrug* :)**

**Okay, so two more chapters today. Leave some love and let us know what you think of Cookie for a name, and then head on over to Deb's chapter. You can see a picture of the kitten in all the usual places, so check our profile for a link. :) – Jenny**


	172. Chapter 172: Edward

**A/N #1: I dare you not to swoon over Sarge and his kitten, whether you're a cat person or not. As someone who owns both dogs and cats, I love watching my hubs with them. Love it. And how many of you think Sarge was up to something?**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 11:24 A.M.**

"You're so spoiling her, Edward," I heard from the doorway of the kitchen. "You let her do anything."

I grinned and finished pouring Cookie's food in her bowl, all the while the little monster was climbing up the leg of my jeans. As the kitten reached my pocket and started digging around in there, I chuckled. "It feels like being mugged by the world's smallest criminal."

Bella laughed and plucked her off me, setting her and the bowl down onto the floor, where we were quickly forgotten. "Kiss me, Sarge," she ordered. "The girls should be here any minute."

"How long will you be gone?" I asked, drinking in the sight before me – tight jeans, a form-fitting sweater, just a hint of cleavage. "Mmm, you look delicious..." I rasped, licking my lips and setting her on the counter so that I could step between her legs.

"So do you," she giggled, trailing one finger down the middle of my bare chest, only to tease the top of my jeans. "Maybe I should stay home..."

Panic rose to the surface, but I did my best to cover it. As much as I would love taking her right there on the kitchen counter...again, I needed my beautiful girl out of the house. Today was a big day. Huge.

"You'll disappoint them," I murmured, leaning in to distract her by kissing the side of her neck.

Fingernails grazed lightly down my back from my shoulder blades to the edge of my jeans, making my eyes roll back into my head. Fuck, she was good.

"They'll live," she chuckled.

I pulled back to look at her, smirking at the shameless dark look in her eyes. "Just go, love." I laughed, but inside, I was hitting a second level of panic. "I'll make it up to you when you get home. I promise."

"Oh yeah, how?" she mumbled as she pressed her lips to mine.

"Now Isabella, you know I can't divulge all my secrets," I crooned, nipping at her bottom lip.

Fuck, the pout. Tilted head, sexy-as-hell look from underneath long eyelashes, and that tasty bottom lip – they were my undoing most times. But she wouldn't win this time because I really, _really_ needed her out of the house.

I sighed but smiled at her. "It won't work. Just go."

And holy shit, thank God for Alice, who burst in the front door. "Bella, are you ready?"

"Yes!" My girl laughed, kissing me one more time before slinking gracefully to the kitchen floor. "Love you. And I'm holding you to that promise, Sarge."

"Yes, ma'am. Love you, too." I chuckled, but as soon as the girls were out the front door and the car had pulled out, my elbows hit the kitchen counter. "Shit, that was close," I groaned, fisting my hair as my forehead met the tile with a dull thunk.

My phone rang in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see that it was Jasper. "Hey, they're gone," I answered without any preamble.

"Good, we're on it. Meet you back at your house in an hour."

"Got it," I sighed, ending the call and heading to the bedroom to grab a shirt. I had a shit-ton of things to do in that one hour.

~oooOOOooo~

"Ah, Mr. Masen," the woman at the shelter greeted me. "He's all ready for you. I'll just go in the back and get him."

"Thank you," I told her, smiling at the same time that I ran a hand through my hair.

She came right back with a little ball of black fur in her arms. It was hard to tell which end was which until big dark eyes looked up at me as she handed him over.

"Hey there, little guy," I whispered, taking him from her as the woman got all my paperwork ready. A flash of pink shot out, giving my nose a lick. _You gotta love puppy breath._ I chuckled, rubbing his head and giving my attention to the woman behind the counter.

"He's ready to go...bathed, treated for fleas, and his first round of shots. But you'll need to get him back here when it's time to fix him," she instructed, laughing when I flinched at the last thing. "He won't feel a thing, I promise." She chuckled at my still-pained look.

After a few more instructions, several papers signed, and my credit card swiped, I loaded the little guy into my car, thankful I'd thought ahead enough to bring the pet carrier. Now was not the time for accidents – I would be cutting it close to Bella's return home as it was. Plus, my Volvo was only a few months old.

"I don't know what she's going to name you, little one, but let's go home, yeah?" I asked and was rewarded with a little tilt to his head and his little pink tongue peaking out as he panted.

~oooOOOooo~

"You're all set, Sarge," Emmett said, poking his head into the library. "Although, I think the cat is plotting his demise already."

I huffed a laugh, glanced up at the clock, and ran a hand through my hair.

"Damn, Ed, you're sweating like a whore in church." Jasper laughed, slapping my shoulder. "Relax...this is fucking perfect. There's no way that Bells won't say anything but yes."

All three of our phones alerted to texts, and my head snapped up.

"They're on their way," Jasper warned.

"Which means we're outta here," Emmett said with a laugh. "You'll do fine, man. Don't sweat it. Let the collar say it all."

"That was brilliant, by the way," Jasper called out before the front door slammed.

I huffed a nervous laugh, shook my head, and decided to play something, anything in order to relax. Movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I looked over to see Cookie and the new puppy rolling in a wrestling match. She pinned him, only to squeal when puppy teeth latched onto her back leg.

The fact that they were both in the library with me couldn't have been more perfect, especially when I heard the car full of women in the driveway. The opening of the front door caused my shaky hands to make a discordant sound, but I started over. It also caused the no-holds-barred battle on the floor to come to a standstill.

"Hey, babe," Bella said, but her breath caught.

I couldn't help but chuckle when she knelt down in front of the little guy. He was definitely happier to see her than he'd been with me all damn day. Not that I could blame him one bit.

"Edward, what did you do?" she asked, scooping the little guy up.

"I promised you a surprise," I told her, waiting for it because she was already fumbling with his collar. I'd made sure that it was big enough that she could see it because it wouldn't stay on the little guy once she'd named him.

I knew when it finally sank in because big, watery brown eyes gazed up at me as she turned the collar to face me, like she was asking if it was real.

In scrolling script, the heart shaped tag was engraved with, "Will you marry us?"

Sinking to one knee in front of her, I opened the little black velvet box that had been weighing heavily in my pocket for weeks, asking simply, "Well, will you?"

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: You can see not only the puppy but also the ring Sarge is giving Bella on the usual places, so check our profile for links. :)**

**The way we wrote this, Bella gets the last word this time, so I wanted to give you guys a quick yet HUGE thank you. I want to thank everyone that stuck with this fic when you weren't really sure where we were going with it. Also, those that latched on with love and a tenacity that rivaled anything I've ever seen. And big hugs for those that have not only given _this_ a shot but everything Jenny and I have ever written. It means everything to me.**

**This isn't complete yet, but it will be soon. I know you're itching for Bella's answer, so go on.**

**Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	173. Chapter 173: Bella

**A/N #1: Yeah... I know. You aren't listening to me. Go on, then. ;)**

**~oOo~**

**Seattle... Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 1:14 P.M.**

I opened the passenger door of Alice's car and climbed out, with Rose piling out behind me so she could take my seat.

Our laughter spilled out into the air as Alice finished her story. "Yes, my first grader turned to me and said, 'That's what she said!'"

Giggling, I shook my head. "Thanks for lunch, ladies."

"Bye, Bella!" they chimed together, making me laugh as Alice beeped the horn once before pulling out of the driveway.

When I pulled open the front door, I could hear Edward on the piano, although the music faltered for a moment before picking back up at the beginning of my song. Smiling, I dropped my bag on the couch and looked around for the kitten. Seeing nothing, I headed through the living room to the library, figuring I'd find her in with Edward.

"Hey, babe," I said with a smile as I walked into the room. I started to ask if he'd had fun with the guys when movement on the floor drew my attention down. When I saw not only Edward's new baby but a small, black ball of fur, I gasped.

Dropping to my knees, I held my hand out to the puppy and let him sniff my fingers. He licked a couple of times, his little tail wagging furiously as he gave a little yip. Carefully picking him up and cradling him to my chest, I turned my head slightly so he was licking my chin, not my lips.

"Edward," I breathed, "what did you do?"

As the puppy attacked my chin with doggy kisses, I felt the heavy charm on his collar hitting against my chest. I held the puppy out a little so I could reach the heart attached to the little blue collar.

"I promised you a surprise," Edward answered softly.

When I was finally able to see the thing, my heart skipped a beat in my chest. I was afraid for a moment that I wouldn't be able to breathe.

_Will you marry us?_ was engraved in the silver heart.

Taking a shuddering breath, I felt tears well in my eyes as I turned the collar around so it faced Edward. I was having trouble processing it...

...until I saw him get down on one knee in front of me, opening an iconic little black box as he asked, "Well, will you?"

I didn't hesitate, not even to look down at what I knew had to be a ring. As the tears fell down my cheeks, I nodded. "Yes! Of course I'll marry you!"

Edward's grin was as big as the one I knew was on my face as he stood and pulled the ring from the box. I finally looked down as he reached out and took my left hand, leaving me holding the new puppy with my right.

The ring was gorgeous – platinum or most likely white gold, round diamond in the middle with five smaller diamonds inset into the band on both sides. I watched as Edward slid it onto my finger, where it fit perfectly.

"It's gorgeous," I breathed, swallowing around the lump in my throat as I looked back up at him.

Edward shook his head. "It's pretty, but it's merely window dressing on the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen."

When I grasped his shirt with my newly-adorned hand and pulled him to me, the yipping puppy between us began wiggling to get down. Chuckling against Edward's lips, I pulled the animal from between us and set him down, freeing up my other hand.

"I love you," I told Edward, my voice low and a bit husky as I slid both arms up and around his neck.

Edward wrapped his arms around me, tugging me closer. My eyes stayed open and locked on his as he brushed his lips across mine once, twice, lingering a little on the third kiss as we breathed in one another. Finally, when I thought I would combust under his heated gaze, he groaned and slid one hand from my waist to the back of my neck. His fingers tangled in my hair, and he angled my head to capture my lips once more, deepening the kiss this time as my eyes fluttered closed.

Kissing Edward was a sensual experience. Every touch, every taste, every movement...he surrounded my senses and consumed me from the inside out as his tongue dipped and stroked, teasing my own. Just when I thought I might pass out from lack of air, he pulled away. Barely giving me time to catch my breath, he leaned in, capturing my top lip in a suckling kiss before moving to the bottom, nipping at it gently before pulling away again, leaving me breathless once more.

When he leaned his head down and pressed his forehead to mine, his emotional, "I love you, too," had me in tears once more.

He drew back, raising an eyebrow as he reached up to brush the drops from my cheeks.

"Happy tears," I explained with a watery chuckle, sniffling my suddenly runny nose.

Edward chuckled, pulling me down with him as he sat, scooting back until we were leaning back against the love seat. "Fine," he said, grinning. "Happy tears are allowed."

I laughed and then turned my attention to the animals, who were currently involved in some sort of chase and attack game. "How did you know?" I asked, looking from the puppy to Edward and back again.

"Oh, Isabella," he huffed, shaking his head. "I know you, sweetheart. It was written plain as day across your face yesterday when you looked at him – and it _is_ a him, by the way."

Grinning sheepishly, I said, "I didn't think you'd noticed." I shrugged. "I couldn't help it. He looked so damn lonely there all by himself. But it was about you and about getting the kitten we'd talked about, so I convinced myself that he would find a good home."

Edward smiled. "And he did. The lady at the shelter said he was six weeks old – and he's yours to name. Any ideas?"

Pursing my lips, I gave it some thought. We had Cookie the kitten, named after the first thing that had really brought Edward and me closer. Thinking back over our beginning, I tried to come up with some appropriate names.

Nothing at all seemed to fit until I remembered a line from Edward's first letter back to me. He'd said, "I would blow up a building for peppermints!" I had found that particularly amusing since there he was, a sergeant in the Army, and he was saying he would go to that extreme for some little red and white candies.

"Peppermint," I murmured, chuckling from amusement. "But call him Pepper for short since he's black with a few specks of white."

Edward grinned. "Those little candies were the best," he said, tightening his arm around me. "I didn't expect you to send them, but you did." Looking at the puppy, he smiled. "Pepper is fitting, I think."

"You think they'll be okay together?" I asked, watching as Cookie and Pepper rolled around on the floor, yipping and meowing at one another. "I mean, the saying is _they fight like cats and dogs_..."

Edward nodded. "I looked it up last night to be sure. They're both very young, so they'll grow up together and be friends. Besides, they'll have us," he said, looking down at me and smiling. "We'll help them together."

_Together..._ Yes, I loved that.

"Together, then," I agreed with a nod, smiling as I leaned my head on Edward's shoulder.

Edward's quiet, "Always," was like a warm caress, reaching to my very core.

I looked from the playing animals to the new ring on my finger and then around at the room that had truly become _ours_ two months ago when Edward had come home for the first time. It had seemed as if that day would never get here, yet it had. We'd faced so much together already, and I knew we would end up facing even more as the years went by – always.

As I looked around, I wasn't sure even "always" would be long enough. But for now...

It was perfect.

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: *crying* So much to say, but I'm going to try to keep it brief because the huge author's note will come at the end of the epilogue.**

**The proposal with the puppy & the tag came from the Fancy Feast cat food commercial where the guy does the same thing with a gorgeous white kitten. If you haven't seen it (or the series that comes after it), I implore you to Google it. "Fancy Feast kitten proposal" should bring up everything.**

**So Pepper and Cookie, huh? What did you think of that? We just couldn't resist giving Bella that poor, sad, adorable puppy, and since they are both so young, they'll grow up to be the best of friends.**

**I know you guys want wedding and babies... Neither Deb nor I wanted to write a full-blown huge wedding (or holidays, so that's why there was no huge Thanksgiving or Christmas...). That's not to say there won't be SOMETHING about one or both of those things in the epilogue or outtakes. We won't leave you hanging. But this story is 174 chapters long with the epilogue. If we included everything, it would go on forever... And yes, we know, some of you would love that... haha But seriously, we are extremely happy with the way this set of chapters and the epi (which we're in the middle of writing) wrapped up the story, so we hope you will be, as well.**

**Don't forget, you can check our profile for links to the new kitten and puppy both, as well as the ring we had in mind for the proposal. :)**

**Leave some love for us, please. We've worked damn hard to make this everything it could possibly be, and we want to hear what you think. We'll see you back within the week (or two, but hopefully within the week!) with the epilogue, and then the outtakes will post on no set schedule as we get them written. *mwah* – Jenny**


	174. Chapter 174: Epilogue

**A/N #1: Even though this is an even-numbered chapter, which usually would mean it was Deb's, I wanted to take a sec to explain how we handled this epilogue. Instead of Deb writing the epilogue by herself, we wanted to end the story the way we began: with letters. You'll be able to figure out who wrote what – I wrote for Bella, and Deb wrote for Edward, the same as its been the entire story. Enjoy, and we'll see you at the bottom! – Jenny**

**~oOo~**

June 18, 2011

My Edward,

I'm taking a few minutes out of a totally, insanely crazy day to put my thoughts and feelings into words. I am sitting upstairs in Alice's old bedroom, which has become Bride Central. Everyone else is off doing various other things. My mom is actually out having an early lunch with Phil, Sue, and my dad, which just makes me laugh. It's the first time since my college graduation that my parents have spent any time together. I guess my wedding is as good a reason as any.

_My wedding..._

I almost have trouble believing it.

When I started this letter, I was reminded once again of why we chose this date. Today is one year to the day that we met face to face for the first time. A year ago, my future changed permanently – and I've never been happier about that fact. I knew the moment I fell in love with you that my life had been altered. Bella Swan as a person had been altered. Suddenly, I had someone that meant more to me than anyone, including myself. You became the center of my world. Of all the people in this world, you're the one I run to. You have taught me so much about life and love, and even through the times when darkness threatened my world, you were always the light. Before I met you, I thought I knew what love was, but until you stepped into my life, I knew nothing. I am who I am because of you, and there is no one else I want to be. Your love warms me from the inside out, weaving through me to touch every part of my life.

Every day, I wake up thanking God for you. You have given me so much within the last fifteen months. You have been my guiding light when I was lost. You have been my comforter through all my trials and sorrow. And you have been my rock. There have been so many times when I wanted to give up, and then you gave me hope and faith.

You are everything to me, Edward Anthony Masen. You make me a better person. I promise to always love you and always hold you in my heart. I will always be here for you when you need me, and I will love you no matter what life brings us.

I'm so grateful to Carlisle and Esme for offering their backyard and allowing us to have the wedding we want. I haven't been allowed to see it all, but I know it's simple and beautiful, just like our love. I can't wait to walk out on my father's arm and see you at the end of the aisle. More importantly, I can't wait to do what I've dreamed of doing since the moment I fell in love with you, and that is proclaiming my love in front of our friends and family and becoming your wife.

You are my soul mate, Edward, and I vow to love you until the day that eternity is gone. I am...

Eternally yours,  
Bella

~oOo~

June 18, 2011

My beautiful Isabella,

I've made a deal with Charlie. He's going to sneak this letter in to you before you walk down the aisle. We're not supposed to see each other before the wedding...which is funny because we've lived together forever now. In turn, I'm supposed to talk all the guys into a weekend-long deep sea fishing trip. After the honeymoon, of course.

Aisle. Honeymoon. Jesus, Bella, we're getting married! In less than a few hours, you'll be my wife. Mrs. Edward Masen. As much as I want it, as much as I wanted it the very second I laid eyes on you a year ago today, I'm scared to death. I want it all with you, my sweet girl. All of it. I want everything life can hand to us – fighting and making up, holidays and travel...school, careers, kids, a house of our own. Every single little thing, Bella.

I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle, love. I know you'll look stunning. You always do, but the girls and your mother keep teasing me. They come downstairs absolutely speechless. It's all I can do not to run up there just to steal a kiss. I know you're as nervous as I am, but then again...we aren't. This was what we wanted. Something simple. Something just family and our friends. Something easy and perfect, like how we fell in love.

It seems forever ago that I was in hell on Earth, when I couldn't make promises, no matter how much I wanted to. Our road was long, a little rocky, and absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me. I remember clear as day the moment that I fell in love with you and just how wonderful and frightening it was all at the same time. I remember the first time I saw you face to face and how nervous we were, but only for a moment because we were just it. And I remember the first time I was able to promise you everything.

Isabella, I want to make different promises to you. I swear to you, no one will come between us. I swear that no matter how busy life gets, we'll always bring it back to us. I swear that you will always be the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. And I promise that no matter what life throws at us, I will love you until my last dying breath.

As this wedding drew closer and closer, my parents have been on my mind. They would have adored you, sweet girl. My mother, especially. For so long, I envied what they had – a love that surpassed everything, even death. I often wondered if what they had was rare. Maybe it was, but I seemed to have lucked out, too, I guess. I've found my best friend, my safe harbor, and the other half of me. It took me a very long time to realize, but I know they'd be happy for me. I hope that they look down on us today as we say our vows, knowing that they showed me what real love could be and that I'm so very happy.

I can't wait to see you, Bella. I'll be waiting at the end of the aisle.

You have my heart, always.

Edward

~oooOOOooo~

March 9, 2013

Dear Daddy-to-be,

I can't sleep because your son keeps jabbing me in the side every time I lie down, so I decided to take a moment to write down some of the thoughts crowding my head.

One thing you may not know about me is that when I was a little girl, I played make believe. I pretended to cook and clean and to be a momma to my baby dolls. In my play, I imagined a man, a husband. He was brave and strong and very handsome. And he loved me.

It was a dream – and some might have called it a silly fairy tale or the immature longings of a girl who loved romance...but I call it my life because you are the man of my dreams.

You are the first to hold me when I am afraid.

You are my encourager when I doubt myself.

You are the one who made me a mother.

You are also the one who still leaves his clothes on the floor. (Just keeping it real...)

But I can't help but think of the things I didn't dream about...

I didn't dream that I would hear my husband humming the song he wrote for me as I dozed off to sleep.

I didn't dream that my husband would buy a journal for his yet-to-be-born son and write letters to him because he knows how much the written words mean to that child's mother.

I didn't dream that my husband would be my personal masseuse, rubbing every tired, achy, swollen part of my body as I grew heavier and heavier with our child.

The doctor said we are days away from being parents – yet we both know that we've been parents from the moment we conceived Anthony Charles on our wedding anniversary. You prove that every day when you spend a few minutes each day reading and talking to him as if he is already here and in your arms. He recognizes your voice and responds every time with kicks to my growing belly. He knows you're his daddy, and he already loves you.

More than anything, I want you to know that I love you more than I ever dreamed. You are my heart, my life, my best friend, my soul mate...and you will be the best father I could ever wish for my child.

Thank you for making my dreams come true.

All my love,  
Bella

~oOo~

March 13, 2013

Finally, you're asleep, Mrs. Masen!

After only two days, I've totally got this Dad thing down. I promise. Okay, so Anthony fought me for about five minutes, but right now, he's watching me study for my test tomorrow. But I figure if you hauled him around for nine months, I can handle some late night study sessions/feedings/burpings/changings. I'm all over it. Take the night off, my sweet girl.

God, he's so beautiful, Bella. I can't believe we did that! I look at him, and I see us both...my hair, my hands, but your eyes and sweet nose. I know parents are biased, but dammit, we did really good here, love. He's amazing. He's this perfect thing, the very best of us.

I want our son to have everything. It's overwhelming, the future I see. I want him to grow up knowing that we love him unconditionally, that holding him for the first time took my breath away, and that he can do no wrong. I want him to have your strength, your heart, your ability to love without question. I want him to be confident and brave, smart and funny, and I can't wait to find out if he likes books like you or music like me. Although, playing his lullaby a minute ago calmed him, so maybe that's a sign.

If I thought I loved you before Anthony arrived, I was completely mistaken, Bella. So, so wrong. Watching you with him makes my heart hurt. I didn't know that someone could love _so much_. But you two have shown me that love not only grows, it expands, changes, morphs into something wholly different. You're already so good with him. And the glow on that gorgeous face of yours is just...exquisite.

I just wanted to thank you, love. You've given me more than I ever thought I'd have, more than I thought I deserved. I have to get back to studying, and I think I'll have to play for Anthony again...he's getting fussy.

I love you both so, so much.

Edward

~oooOOOooo~

June 18, 2014

Happy anniversary and happy early birthday!

"I love you" doesn't really begin to explain my feelings for you. That love has grown deeper with each passing year. When we got married three years ago, we didn't know what the future would hold, but we were excited and confident that whatever it was, we would do it together. And we have. When I think back to our wedding day, I think about how full of hope and love and excitement we were. I love that even now, that hasn't changed.

One of the things I love most about you is how grounded you are. Even when things around us are crazy, I can lean on you and feel comfort and safety in your arms. You are my rock, my safe place. I can trust you with my life, the life of our son, my crazy feelings, my fears, my dreams. And you are worthy of that trust.

As I look back over the past three years, I smile over the good times and feel tears well up as I think of the hard times. But it's been a beautiful life. I like to think that the joys we've experienced are made that much sweeter by the difficulties we've faced. We've been through so much together... Buying a new home was a long, arduous process. Balancing my work and writing with your school wasn't easy. Most importantly, we had an amazing, beautiful child. I'd like to say that we always did it all perfectly, but that wouldn't be true. But we have always approached each situation together, as a team. And when feelings have been hurt, we have apologized and made things right in our relationship.

Today, on our anniversary, I realize that we are once again completely unaware of what the next three...or thirty...years may hold. But as we continue to walk down that road, I know that we will be together, and you will be right there, holding my hand, and I couldn't imagine my life any other way.

I love you, Edward, now and forever.

Bella

~oOo~

June 18, 2014

Happy anniversary, Mrs. Masen...

I can't believe we've been married for three years already. It seems like yesterday when I received that first letter from this nosy teacher. In the blink of an eye, I fell completely and irrevocably in love with her.

You were the sweetest, most beautiful thing I'd ever seen...and you still are. And I regret nothing of how we came to be – not one letter, not one worried phone call, and certainly not moving someplace I had never been. My mother used to tell me to follow my heart. I did, and it was so worth it.

These last few years haven't been easy. With my school, your work, and adding Anthony into it, it's been downright crazy. But I promised you something on our wedding day. I promised you that we would always bring it back to us, and we've done an amazing job. We've made up after every fight, we've made every major decision as a family, and we've always made time for just us. Nothing makes me happier than Saturday mornings, pajamas, cartoons, and homemade waffles...just the three of us.

However, as much as I love our beautiful, smart son, I really can't wait to get my wife alone this weekend. It's been way too long since I've been able to take my time with you. And I plan to. I want to take you out, show you off, and then bring you back to the hotel to undress you. I want you to wear a dress, my beautiful girl, because I picked the tallest hotel in Seattle. Their elevators are really slow, and we're on the top floor. I know you haven't forgotten because you still get the sexiest smile on your face whenever we step into one, so prepare yourself, love.

I plan on spoiling you, Bella. You've spoiled me enough in our lives that you deserve this and so much more. You may not think you do, but it's true. You've given me family, a beautiful home, and an amazing son. You put up with two messy boys twenty-four-seven, with my school schedule and with more noise than you bargained for.

So, Mrs. Masen, these next two days are all about you. The first birthday I spent with you won't even come close to what I plan for you. This time, I don't want to play tourist. I want to visit all the old ways that make you call my name and invent some new ones. I want the most gorgeous woman wrapped around me with nothing between us, without fear of waking the baby, and without worries of having something planned the next day. No plans, no clothes, no worries. Got me, Isabella?

People used to tell me that things fizzle out, settle down after you've been with someone for a few years, but they're wrong. Or maybe we're different... Because I love you and want you just as much now as the day I first Skyped with you, the day I was first able to kiss you, the day you married me, and the day you gave birth to our son.

I love you, Bella. Happy anniversary, my sweet girl.

You have my heart, always.

Edward

~oooOOOooo~

April 23, 2015

Edward,

Get it out! Get it out!

That's what is running through my mind at the moment. *laugh* It's not romantic, but then...I'm in the hospital, waiting to have baby number two... I'm not feeling romantic at the moment.

That doesn't mean I didn't feel like writing you a love letter...

I can't believe that by this time tomorrow (hopefully...), we'll be holding another baby. This pregnancy didn't go nearly as smoothly as the first, but I know it'll be worth it when we finally meet our little Jonathan Christopher or Elizabeth Marie. Every worry, every fear... None of that will matter when he or she is finally here.

You're with Anthony right now, putting him to bed. When you left with him earlier, his cries of, "Momma! Momma!" and his tears nearly broke me. He's only two years old. He doesn't truly understand why I'm in the hospital and why he can't stay with me. I know he's with his daddy, and that helps. And once you leave, he'll still be surrounded by family. Aunties Rose and Alice, Uncles Emmett and Jasper...not to mention "Poppa" Charlie and "Grandma" Sue. "Neenee" Renee and Phil will be there when he gets up in the morning...

But it still hurts my heart that I can't be with him.

Can you believe it's been two years since we were here in this same hospital to have our first baby? Time has just flown by. But I can't be happier with how our lives have gone.

You are such a wonderful daddy, Edward. Every time I see you stacking blocks, pushing a swing, or singing along to _The Backyardigans_ – even if he doesn't understand it all – my heart skips a beat. When he falls, you are there to soothe him. When he succeeds, you are his biggest cheerleaders, just as you've always been mine. I have no doubts that when this little boy or girl makes their appearance, you'll be just as wonderful with them as you are with Anthony, and I couldn't love you more for it.

Thank you for making my job as a mother so much easier. You have taken school a bit more slowly than we'd thought just to help me with Anthony so I could continue teaching. I am ready to be home with both of our children for a while. Thank you for understanding and for soothing my worries about taking the year off work. Your support means the world to me.

I love you, Edward, so very much.

Love,  
Bella

~oOo~

April 26, 2015

My dearest Bella,

Oh, you've done it now. A baby girl. Elizabeth Marie. She's so you made over, baby. And she owns me, just like her beautiful mother.

God, I was so scared, though. This was a rocky nine months for you. There were times when I thought my heart would shatter with worry, that I'd pace until I wore a groove into the floor. I'm pretty sure the nurses at the hospital hated me by the time it was all over because I was just as cranky as Anthony when he hasn't had his afternoon nap. Only worse – with foul language...and threats to their well-being. Sorry about that. I was just losing my mind, Bella. I don't know what I'd have done had something happened to you or Ellie. I'm pretty sure Anthony and I would be completely lost in this world without you. I've fought in a war, and that was nowhere near as scary as watching you struggle these last few weeks.

But then Ellie arrived, and everything was okay. The very second I held her, I was done. Just like when I held our son for the first time, holding our daughter caused this earthquake-type shift inside of me. They are both these little miracles that have me in awe most days. They both make me feel vulnerable, yet like a superhero at the same time. I don't know how to explain it, but it's the most amazing, knee-buckling feeling in the world.

I know you're worried about taking a year off from work. I don't want you to be. You should take time to be with our children, Bella. You deserve it. They deserve it. It's a no-brainer. You never really had to work at all, but we've managed just fine. Now it's time. Do it knowing I'm behind you one hundred percent. You've supported my decisions for extending my classes, so I can support this.

You are the _very best thing_ that has ever happened to me. I love you, baby.

Always,  
Edward

~oooOOOooo~

June 12, 2016

My graduate...

What a long road it's been for you, babe. You began your college career five and a half years ago, and it's finally paying off. I know you could have been done over a year ago, but because of our family, you put your needs last, as you've always done.

I am so proud of you, Edward. You excelled at school – like I had any doubts, Mr. Smarty-pants! – and all the while, you were a fantastic husband and father for Anthony and Ellie. Now, you're graduating with honors. Your parents would be just as proud as I am, babe – just as proud as my parents, Sue, Phil, Esme, and Carlisle, not to mention our friends.

We have so much to celebrate right now. As of today, you are a college graduate. In just a week, we'll have been married five years (it doesn't seem possible!), and you will be turning thirty-two. I have never been happier to be your wife and the mother of our two beautiful children. And come August, you'll be working at the same school as Alice and me. It's something I fantasized about years ago, when you first started school – walking down the hall together every day before school, sneaking off to the janitor's closet at lunch... I can't wait! It will be hard to leave Anthony and Ellie with a sitter, but at least that sitter is Esme. Now that she and Carlisle have moved up to Seattle to be closer to Alice, Jasper, and their three boys, she's playing doting grandmother and will be the official babysitter to not only her own grandchildren, but our two and Rose and Emmett's girls, as well. She'll be a busy woman, but I know she wouldn't have it any other way.

As we celebrate five years of marriage, I love how content I am with my life. I love how we are together, that we still find things to talk about. I love that we can still make each other laugh because we know each other so well. I love how you understand me when I have a totally random, out-of-nowhere thought – and that many times, you're having the _same_ random thought. I love how we're a team. I love that our children love you so much. I love your hugs. I love it when you kiss me on the forehead for no reason other than you wanted to. I love that you learned to cook just to give me a break, even though it's something I like to do. I love that we enjoy many of the same things but are fine with having our own separate interests, as well.

Most of all, I love you. I'm grateful every day that we are together. The past five years have seemed like no time at all, and I'm thankful that I have the rest of our lives to celebrate together.

Always,  
Bella

~oOo~

June 12, 2016

My sweet girl,

I truly need to thank you. Without you, I wouldn't be graduating today. Without you, I wouldn't have pushed and pushed to get where I am. I also wouldn't have so, so much in my life.

I'm a grateful man, my love. I have two smart, adorable children that are the two of us made over. Anthony is just like you, all smart and wordy and sarcastic. Watching the two of you chatter about everything and nothing over breakfast is the best part of my day. Ellie is quiet like me, already showing signs that she loves music, and I can't wait to teach her. I'm sure she'll be my best student. Ever.

I have this gorgeous, supportive wife that tells me she loves me, _shows me_ she loves me every minute of the day. And now, I can finally relax. The hard part is over. And I thank you for being there every step of the way. I honestly don't think I could've done it without you. There were times I wanted to quit, times when the kids were sick and I'd gone to class on no sleep at all, and times where I wasn't sure it was worth the struggle, but you were there to remind me what I was striving for, to push me. And damn, I loved it when you helped me study, though I'm not sure I learned much – except what you looked like sprawled naked across the desk in the piano room. Did I pass that quiz, Mrs. Masen?

Soon, baby, we'll have the same schedule, the same drive to work, and the same goals. It's what we always talked about, what we always wanted. How lucky was it that Mr. Evans retired the same year that I'm finishing school? I can't believe I'll be taking over the music department next fall. It doesn't seem real to be that close. And I'm so glad it's elementary instead of the middle school I had the interview with two weeks ago.

Next week, we'll have been married five years, my beautiful girl. I want to celebrate with you. I want to curl up somewhere quiet with you in my arms and read our book together because I never want to forget what got me here...got _us_ here. I want to make love to you all night and then go pick the kids up from Carlisle and Esme's house the next morning so we can play all day together at the park with our friends and their kids.

Bella, you've made my life full and fun and amazing, and I don't know how to thank you. It hasn't been perfect, but it's been perfectly us from the very beginning. I love you more than you could possibly fathom. And my diploma today is dedicated to you.

All my love, my heart, and my soul,  
Edward

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2:**

**Jen: *sniffling* They got married, had two beautiful babies, and Edward graduated college and is going to be teaching at Bella's school. I know some of you wanted more details, but honestly, this is how we wanted it to end... And end it has. It's hard to believe it's really finished. Yes, there will be outtakes, but for now, we're marking it as complete.**

**There are so many people I want to thank, and I know I'll forget some...so if I do, it's unintentional! Cara, Shasta, & Angie, who helped so much at the beginning when we were just getting started & needed their eyes. Coreen, who made our beautiful banner and is always helpful to answer my many questions. SqueakyZorro, I know when you signed up for this, you didn't expect it to be 174+ chapters – frankly, neither did we! – but you hung in there like a trooper and caught many, many things with your red pen that we had missed. Thank you so much!**

**Deb... Geez, lady... It's hard to know what to say to you about this. I think that's what I will miss the most about finishing this story – all the time we spent chatting, brainstorming, encouraging, and just growing our friendship. That won't end, of course. I will be behind you every step of the way with the plot bunny that is busy making babies in your head. I love you, and this fic would not have been the same without you. *mwah***

**And finally, all the readers... You guys have to know by now how very much we appreciate each and every one of you, whether you reviewed, tweeted, played on Facebook, or just read and didn't do any of those things for whatever reason. We wrote this for you guys, and to know that you fell in love with Sarge & his Bella just as much as we did? It truly is a blessing. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. – Jenny**

**~oOo~  
**

**Deb: This is it, troops. We'll be marking this fic complete as of today. Like we've told you before, there will be outtakes, but there will be no set schedule to them. They'll come as we get them written.**

**I need to thank a few people. GooberLou and inkedupmom for pre-reading for me, personally. This was such a different concept for Jenny and me that we recruited as much help as we could way prior to the story's actual posting. Thank you so, so much, ladies. One day, our schedules will work out, I swear it!**

**And I need to thank MedusaInNY for taking on the monumental task of my blog. Miss you, sweetie.**

**To Jen... MWAH! How many emails? How many frantic phone calls? How many laughs? And how many "Oh my God, just FIX it!" replies? LMAO This has been, by far, the most fun I've ever had writing a fic. You gave me back the reason to keep writing. I really wasn't sure I was going to post another thing, but then you pop up with this bloody brilliant idea! ;) I love you so much. You've become one of my best friends. I'm not sure what I would do without you, and that has nothing to do with beta work.**

**Lastly, I need to thank all the readers, reviewers, pushers, lurkers, and screamers. LOL God, I love you all! I love that you grabbed onto this different idea and held on for the ride. From my followers on Twitter, to the personal messages, and finally all the girls on FB, specifically the Sarge's Girls group. THANK YOU.**

**Okay, guys... We'll see you when we see you. Mooches, Deb :)**


	175. Chapter 175: Outtake 1

**Jen's A/N: Here it is, the first _Coming Home_ outtake! :) Out of the three we have planned, we're doing them in chronological order. This takes place (obviously) on Christmas Day the same year as the story. Yes, you'll FINALLY get to meet Esme & Carlisle. We love them just as much as you guys do. Unfortunately, they just didn't really fit in the main story since our characters are human adults. But we couldn't just totally leave them out. You'll be able to tell whose POV it is, but it's Bella's first, written by me, and then when it switches, it's Deb's Edward. :) So enjoy! – Jenny**

**~oOo~**

**Forks... Saturday, December 25, 2010 at 1:06 P.M.**

"Dad, we'll be back in time to help Sue put the finishing touches on dinner, okay?"

My dad turned his attention from the movie that was playing to Edward and me as we stood near the front door. "Sounds good. You kids have fun. Tell Esme and Carlisle I said hello and Merry Christmas."

"Will do, Charlie," Edward told him, smiling before looking back at me. In one hand, he was holding the tin of Christmas cookies Sue had made as well as the sack of gifts we had for our friends. In the other, he had my coat and was helping me into it.

Once I'd pulled my gloves on, I looked up at him. "Ready?"

He nodded, so I opened the door and we went out into the cold, quickly shutting the door so the warmth wouldn't escape the house. It was truly a white Christmas. Everything was covered in snow, from the ground to the trees and houses, not to mention the cars parked in driveways and out on the street. It had been snowing almost non-stop for a few days – slowly, thank goodness, or we'd never have made it here.

As quick as we were able, Edward led me to the Volvo, which was parked behind Charlie's cruiser in the driveway. I clicked my seatbelt, and Edward handed me the keys and cookies before shutting my door and moving around to the driver's side. While he grabbed the ice scraper brush thing from the back seat, I started the car, turning the heat up to help clear off the windows. When he had the windows clear, Edward jumped behind the wheel, pulling his gloves off and rubbing his hands vigorously together in front of the heater.

"Damn, it's cold."

Laughing, I shook my head. "C'mon, Sarge. You can't tell me a Chicago boy isn't used to a little snow..."

"Beautiful, Washington may get more rain than Chicago, but Chicago gets more snow; regardless, up until three months ago, I'd spent the last few years in the desert. I'm not used to it anymore." By the end, he was nearly pouting, and I couldn't help but lean over and kiss him, blowing warm breath over his cold cheek. "Mm, that's better," he teased, winking when I sat back in my seat and grinned.

"It's really beautiful out there right now," I mused, looking out the almost completely clear windows. "You're right that we get more rain than snow out there, but we do still get snow – and it surprises me every year how pretty it can be. It's different here than in the city, too. All the traffic, the plows that are out early to clear the roads there... Here, it's serene, calm, ya know?"

Edward nodded, looking through the window at the still-pristine lawn in front of Charlie's house. "Yeah, you almost don't want to disturb it."

"Exactly," I agreed, smiling softly.

"Okay, so..." He looked over at me, turning the headlights on and putting the car in reverse. "Where am I headed?"

I directed him north, past the edge of town, into the forest. Barely visible through the snow-covered green was a gravel road. Edward took the turn easily, raising an eyebrow to my telling him that the house was a few miles down that road.

"They live way out here, don't they?"

"Yeah, Esme loves it. It gives them so much privacy, yet because this is still Forks, it's not like they are far away from town. It just seems like it."

My breath caught in my throat as he rounded the final curve and the house came into view. The Cullens' home was gorgeous. There was a huge front yard, nearly an acre in size, and there were trees all around the edges – including the six huge primordial cedars that shaded the entire yard up to the house. Everything was covered in white, just like at Charlie's, but with the huge trees and spacious yard, it looked almost otherworldly.

Edward's breathy, "Wow," was exactly what I felt, even though I'd seen it many, many times.

The house itself was a soft, faded white and three stories. It was nearly a century old and had a timeless, graceful appearance. My favorite part from this side of the house was the deep porch that wrapped around the first story.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" I asked softly as he pulled up behind Jasper's truck, which the others had ridden down in the day before. "I told you." I smiled, watching him take it all in again after he put the car in park.

"You did, but I'm not sure any description would have given it justice." He shook his head, looking over at me and smiling. "I'd love to live someplace like this someday. Away from it all, just us and nature..."

I giggled. "You just want to be free to run around naked."

"Not me... You," he growled teasingly, wagging his eyebrows playfully.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm not naked half the time at home already," I snarked, loving the way his eyes darkened at the thought.

"Not nearly enough for me," he huffed, leaning over and sliding his hands into my hair, pulling me to him.

The kiss was heated, yet innocent...playful, yet full of promise – and if my phone hadn't blasted out "All in the Golden Afternoon" from the _Alice in Wonderland_ movie, I might have clambered over the seats to plant myself in his lap. As if she had known exactly what I was ready to do, Alice herself was calling.

"Isabella Swan, don't make me send Emmett out there," she huffed after I pulled myself away from Edward to answer the phone.

I laughed and looked up to see her standing in the window of the living room, one hand on her jutted-out hip.

"We're coming, Alice," I told her, smothering my laughter at Edward's mumbled words.

"Not yet, we weren't," he grumbled, nearly under his breath.

"We'll be right in," I promised.

"Mmhm..." She was laughing at she hung up the phone.

"Come on, Sarge." I laughed again at his full pout. "There'll be time for that later. Charlie isn't making you sleep on the couch this time, ya know..."

Edward's expression brightened, looking like a little boy who had just gotten the best Christmas present ever. I snorted into a giggle, waiting as he pulled on his gloves again and then climbed out and came around to open my door.

Someone – my bet was on Emmett and Jasper – had cleared off the driveway and walkway to the house, as well as the front porch steps, and put down ice melt, so I held Edward's hand with one of mine and carried the cookies with the other. Edward had the gifts in his other hand as he led me carefully up to the house.

The front door opened as we kicked the snow off our shoes, and I looked up to see Esme standing there, a soft smile on her face.

"Bella, it's so good to see you, sweetheart," she said warmly. "Come in, come in. Get out of the cold, you two."

"Hi, Esme," I said, leaning into her embrace as Edward and I stepped inside. She smelled like cinnamon and sugar, like she'd been baking an apple pie – yet the woman couldn't bake to save her life. That was just the way she'd always smelled to me, and I loved it. "It's good to see you, too."

She finally pulled away, looking me up and down a few times. "You look wonderful, Bella. Happier than I've ever seen you." Smiling, she turned to Edward. "From everything my children have told me, you must be the reason. It's good to finally meet you, Edward."

I couldn't help but grin as Edward's cheeks pinkened slightly and he ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"It's good to finally meet you, too, Mrs. Cullen," he told her politely. "I've heard a lot about you and your husband from Bella and our friends."

Esme laughed softly. "None of that Mrs. Cullen stuff, please. Call me Esme."

Edward nodded, smiling. "Esme, then. You have a beautiful home."

She beamed with pride. "Thank you. I don't know how much the kids told you, but interior design is one of my passions, and when we moved into this house years ago, I wanted the outside to be as beautiful as I knew it could be."

"Don't let her fool you," Carlisle said, coming around the corner. "She worked hard to make it look as good as it does." He smiled when I stepped into his embrace. "Merry Christmas, Bella. How are you?"

Looking up, I grinned. Carlisle was very handsome – tall, with blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a smile that was nearly as potent as Edward's. He'd been one of my favorite people in the world from the moment I'd first met him, and that hadn't changed over the years. "I'm good, Daddy C. How are you? Settled back in after your trip?"

"Getting there," he answered, his eyes twinkling as he looked over at Edward. "Welcome, Sergeant Masen."

Edward reached out and shook Carlisle's hand. "Call me Edward, please, sir. Thank you for having us over."

"Of course, of course. We've wanted to meet you for a long time, son. Jasper and Emmett have been telling us stories for years now about you – and I know we have you to thank for getting them home safely to us and our girls."

Edward shrugged, looking almost uncomfortable with the praise. "They kept me safe just as often," he said quietly before smiling and relaxing. "But they were good men to serve with and have become very good friends."

Carlisle nodded and then looked down at Esme and smiled. "Well, come on in, both of you. You can take your shoes off here. Bring your coats and gloves into the living room, and we'll hang them up to make sure they dry off well."

We quickly followed Carlisle's directive and left our shoes with a row of others in the entryway before following Carlisle and Esme around the corner into the huge living room.

~oooOOOooo~

**Forks... Saturday, December 25, 2010 at 3:39 P.M.**

"So tell me, Edward," Carlisle said, sitting down next to me on the sofa. "Are you excited about going back to school?"

His voice could barely be heard over the din of Jasper and Emmett arguing over the video game and the girls' laughter from the kitchen. It was such a comfortable environment, and we'd only been here for a couple of hours. Carlisle and Esme Cullen were amazing people – and not at all what I'd expected of Alice's parents. They'd told interesting stories of not only the people around me, but of all their travels, as well.

"Yeah, definitely," I answered Carlisle with a nod. "I mean, I haven't been in school since I was eighteen, but yeah..." I grinned, shrugging a shoulder.

"I can imagine that would be a tough thing to step into after so long," he mused with a chuckle, rubbing his chin. "And such a huge change after what you've experienced."

We were quiet for a moment, and I took a long glance around the house. The place really was beautiful. Esme had done an incredible job. It looked like something right out of a magazine.

"The kids tell me you're going for music..." he continued, and I smiled and nodded. "You should talk to Esme. She's been playing for years, though she hasn't touched that piano of hers in a year or two."

"You should hear Eddie play, Dad," Emmett piped up, and I realized the game was paused or over or some shit. "He can hear shit once and then remember it. It's awesome."

My favorite sound in the whole world – Bella's giggle – came from behind me. She moved around the sofa, handing me one of the mugs she was carrying.

"Hot chocolate," she said to me, turning to Carlisle. "He composes, too. Those are beautiful."

I sipped my drink, a little uncomfortable with the praise, and then leaned into Bella's kiss to my cheek, her soft, quiet laugh pushing warmth against my skin.

"Now _that_ I'd like to hear," Esme said, a warm smile spreading across her face. "I've never had the courage to write my own music."

"Try writing it without a piano," Jasper added. "Sarge stayed up late at night in the barracks jotting down notes, which I never understood because how could you know they'd sound right?"

I rolled my eyes but looked over at Bella. She was smirking with pride and love, knowing she'd been the one to send me the composition pages. It was also her song that I'd been writing.

"No pressure, sweetheart," Esme crooned, reaching across her husband to pat my knee. "But you're welcome to play any time. The piano's just in the next room."

There was something about Esme that exuded comfort. Maybe it was her soft hazel eyes, or her long honey-colored hair, but something about her reminded me of my own mother. Bella had always told me that Esme was the mother that Renee should've been. After meeting Bella's mom, I could understand completely. While Renee meant well and struggled to show her love, Esme made you feel like one of her own children. Instantly. She also made me want to take away the slight bit of disappointment on her face.

"Okay," I sighed, handing over my mug to Bella and standing up from the couch.

Esme led me into the adjoining room, flipping on the light switch. My eyebrows shot up as I took in something straight out of a decorator's dream. But it was the deep cherry finish baby grand that was the centerpiece.

"Schimmel?" I asked, trailing a finger down its smooth side, only to confirm that my guess was correct. "This is beautiful."

"Thank you, Edward," Esme said as she lifted the top for me. "I haven't played in years. Maybe you can make it worth keeping it around." She shot me a wink and patted my shoulder as I sat down on the bench.

A few test chords and a running scale told me that not only was this an amazing instrument, but it was still in tune. I looked up to see that Carlisle and the girls had joined us, but the video game kicked back on in the living room. The guys would listen. They always did. They just didn't always watch.

Bella leaned against the side, and I asked, "Requests, sweet girl?"

"It's Christmas, babe. Play that one you played the other day," she told me, her teeth latching on to that bottom lip of hers.

With a nod, I lost myself in "Silent Night," the song I'd been fooling around with as my girl wrapped Christmas presents. I made it a medley of sorts, blending one carol into the next. "Oh, Holy Night" merged with "Ave Maria," which phased into things that went a little faster. I played my mother's favorite, which was "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful," finally ending with "Carol of the Bells."

At the sight of my girl's sweet smile, I gave her what she wanted, which was the song I'd written for her. I'd finally finished it, though I wasn't sure it would ever be totally complete. There was too much of our future ahead of us, so the final notes might always have that feeling of _not quite there_. And there was a question I'd yet to ask her, which always seemed to be on the tip of my tongue lately. I had the ring, but I couldn't figure out how I wanted to ask. I wanted it to be special...something worthy of the girl at my side. Until I figured that out, the song still felt almost incomplete to me.

The last thing I played was "St. James Infirmary." It was the first thing my mother had wanted me to learn once she'd seen what I could do. She'd loved her old-school jazz, so she'd taught me how to capture the feelings, the emotions behind that genre of music. When I was done, it was Carlisle that spoke first.

"I'm glad you've decided to teach, son," he praised from the chair in the corner. "That talent should be passed on."

"Thank you, sir," I replied softly but then turned to Esme. "Do you still play?"

"Not enough," Alice snarked from the couch. "It's been too long," she told her mother.

It was Esme's turn to look uncomfortable when everyone in the room begged her to play, but she took my spot behind the piano when I offered it to her. I smiled at her as I wrapped an arm around Bella's shoulders, dropping a kiss to the side of her head.

Esme played the classics – Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy – and it was interesting to hear a woman's touch. It was softer, sweeter than my own sound. When she was done, it was Rose that piped up with a suggestion I hadn't been expecting.

"You two should play something together," she said, waving us on.

"Oh, that would be so awesome!" Alice chimed in.

"Please?" Bella simply begged.

I turned to Esme, who was giggling at them all, and shrugged a shoulder. I hadn't played _with_ anyone since my mother became ill.

She slid down the bench a little, giving me the high end. "You like blues?" she asked.

Grinning, I nodded. "Yeah. My mother and I would make up blues songs. One would start, and the other would join in," I told her, frowning a little at that admission. "You start. I'll pick up where you're going with it."

She started with the basic three-count blues base line, and I added in, making most of it up on the fly, but eventually, it turned into "Blue Christmas." When we were done, Esme laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as the house cheered. We looked up to see that Emmett and Jasper had joined us, and they were all on their feet.

"That was fun, Edward," Esme said with a sweet chuckle, kissing my cheek. "You come over and play anytime."

I grinned, looking down at the keys of the piano instead of her face. "Yes, ma'am."

"Sweet! Time for presents!" Emmett boomed, causing a laugh to bark out of me.

"Emmett McCarty, what are you? Twelve?" Rose asked, sounding exasperated.

"It's Christmas, so...yes!" He grinned, all dimples and boyish charm.

Carlisle laughed and then sighed patiently. "Okay, presents," he conceded, standing up from his chair.

I helped Esme close the piano's lid, giving the instrument one last glance. It wasn't the piano itself that made me smile, but the feeling that I'd just found another extension – and another definition, if I were to be honest – of family.

"You okay, Sarge?" Bella asked, taking my hand.

I smiled and kissed her lips chastely, savoring it just a little. "Yeah, sweet girl. I'm good."

**~oOo~**

**Deb's A/N: Esme and Edward made you smile, didn't they? LOL Yeah, I couldn't resist.**

"**St. James Infirmary" is a beautiful song, but if you're going to go hunt it down, make sure you find the Hugh Laurie (yes, strongHouse/strong) version. That man plays that song just beautifully, especially the beginning. He's extremely talented. Anyway, I know it's on YouTube.**

**This was our first outtake, but it won't be the last. Sarge will be back a few more times, but we're not sure when. Until then, mooches, Deb. :)**

**[Note from Jenny: Deb didn't mention it, but don't forget to put her on Author Alert on FFn – her name is _drotuno_ – if you haven't already because she has a new Angelward fic coming out. As her beta, I can tell you that it is fantastic and well worth the wait for a new story with Edward, Bella, and the whole family...including one of my favorite original characters in fanfic history. ;) _Haunted Angel_ will post weekly on Wednesdays starting this week. Yay!]**


	176. Chapter 176: Outtake 2

**A/N #1: Welcome back to Sarge-land. :) Sorry it's taken a bit to get this out, but I hope you'll all enjoy it. Now, read on, and I'll see you at the bottom!**

~oOo~

**Seattle... Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 2:27 P.M.**

"Are you ready?" I teased Edward.

He nodded slowly, looking wide-eyed at the sign out on the building.

After Edward asked me to marry him, he left a mark on me with his mouth right above my bikini line as we celebrated our new engagement. I laughed the next morning when I looked in the mirror and saw the dark spot just a few inches above the trimmed edge of my mound. I'd told him that I should just get a damn tattoo put there so his mark on me would be permanent.

At the time, it was just another joke to tease him, but two weeks later, he'd slid a small pile of brochures over to me after dinner and said for me to choose one.

~oOo~

"_What did you do?" I asked, laughing as I flipped through the small stack._

_Blushing slightly, he grinned, looking proud. "I had to do some research. I couldn't just take you to any old tattoo parlor to get some new ink."_

_Impressed, I started looking closer at some of the names. They ranged from Art & Soul to Mad Dog, from Ink Slinger to Skull & Sword._

_Holding up one brochure, I said, "Did you know this was where Emmett got his ink from just before he shipped out last time?"_

_Edward nodded. "He recommended that one. Said Jimmy, the guy who'd done his, would be perfect for us."_

"_Us?" I raised an eyebrow, setting the brochure down in front of me._

_He shrugged. "You've mentioned seeing me with a tattoo before. I've never done it before because I had no real reason to. I haven't objected to it or anything, but I've been thinking about it and think I have an idea of what I'd like."_

_Grinning, I pretended to look him over from head to toe. "Mmm, Sarge with ink? Yes, please," I purred._

_His eyes darkened, and before I could even set the paperwork in my hand down, Edward swooped me into his arms. As he walked us down the hall to the bedroom, he nuzzled the spot right under my ear and murmured, "You can't look at me like that and expect me to just stand there, beautiful..."_

_Yippee!_

~oOo~

He'd been so enthusiastic as we'd made our appointments, went back and forth about ideas, and even talked to our friends. But looking over at him now as we sat in front of Twilight Ink & Piercings, I could see his nerves.

Chuckling, I asked, "Are you sure? You don't have to get one, babe."

He seemed to steel his resolve and then shook his head. "I'm sure."

We climbed out of the Volvo and met around the front, where Edward took my hand and then led me to Twilight's door.

When we walked in, it was different than I'd expected. The place I'd been to in high school had been dark and cave-like, what you would typically think of as a tattoo parlor, complete with big, scary-looking, biker dudes. Twilight was bright and airy, with a mix of men and women behind the counter, working on clients, and even one man sitting at a desk with a pencil in hand as he sketched what I could only imagine was a new tattoo design. The walls were covered in such sketches, their portfolio of sorts, and while everyone that worked there was covered in ink and piercings, none of them looked frightening.

"Welcome to Twilight Ink," the woman sitting on a stool behind the front counter said. Her curly red hair was up in a high ponytail, giving her a young, cheerleader look, but the piercings in her eyebrow, nose, and bottom lip, not to mention running up both ears, as well as the ink peeking out of both sleeves of her T-shirt clearly said she was a bit edgier than her hair led you to believe. "My name's Vicki. Can I help you?"

I smiled and tugged Edward with me to the counter. "Hi. I'm Bella, and this is Edward. We have an appointment with Jimmy."

Vicki grinned and nodded. "Yo, Jimmy!" she called to somewhere in the back.

A door opened, and a man with long, dark blond hair stuck his head out.

"Your two thirty are here," Vicki continued at Jimmy's raised eyebrow.

"Hey," Jimmy told us. "I'm running a few minutes behind. If you don't mind, get with Larry—"

"Laurent," a voice growled from beside us, startling me.

"Get with _Laurent_ and go over sketches of what you'd like done. Then we can go over it again once you're back here," Jimmy finished. Once we'd nodded, he popped back into the room and shut the door.

"Sorry about that," Vicki said, rolling her eyes. "Laurent is our resident artist and is...temperamental about his name. Jimmy likes to screw with him."

"My name is Laurent, and James knows that," the man – Laurent – said. "I abhor nicknames, _Victoria_."

I held back my laugh at his haughty tone of voice.

"Now come," Laurent said, sounding much more friendly than he had up to that point. "Let's see what you're thinking of having done today."

We followed him back over to the desk he'd previously been sitting behind.

"Both of you are getting ink?" At our nods, he turned to me. "Let's focus one at a time, then. What about you...Bella, was it? Is that short for Isabella?"

I smiled, holding in my laughter. "Yes, that's right." Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the printed copy of the image I wanted to use. "I want these sergeant's stripes right above my bikini line, and instead of the guns, I'd like a date of March eighteenth of last year." Raising an eyebrow, I reached for one of the pencils in the cup on the desk. At his nod, I used it to write it out like I wanted, spelling out the month, then the digits for the day and the four-digit year.

When I stepped back beside Edward, he grabbed my hand and squeezed, and when I looked up at him, his eyes were full of fiery emotion. He knew I was getting the sergeant's stripes just for him, and if I knew him like I thought I did, he understood the significance of the rest, too – the date of his first letter to me.

Laurent looked at my lower half of my body with an artist's eyes for a moment. "I'm going to do this about two inches square. If James looks and believes it should be smaller, I can adjust it." He sketched for several minutes, his colored pencils flying across the page, and then he turned it to me. "Is this what you had in mind?"

It looked perfect to me. The script was small but still easily readable, and the shading on the green stripes was really pretty. "It's perfect," I told him with a nod before looking at Edward. "What about you, Sarge?"

Edward swallowed once and then nodded. "Yeah, looks great."

Laurent, who had been watching Edward, smiled. "All right, then, on to you. What are you looking for?"

Edward looked at me for a second before saying, "Take off the button down shirt, baby."

Because it was cold out, I'd worn layers today. I'd taken my coat off when we got inside, so I handed it to Edward before unbuttoning the shirt that I was wearing over my tank top and bra. Just as I peeled the outer shirt off, I knew what he was doing, and it made my breath catch.

Turning, I displayed my back to Laurent and felt as Edward moved my hair and the shirt out of the way so the artist could see the black swan tat on my back.

"I'd like this, just slightly larger, on my left pectoral, right above my heart, with the date of March third of last year under the swan, in the same script as hers."

I couldn't help the tears that suddenly filled my eyes and spilled down my cheeks as the significance of what Edward was doing hit me. He was taking a painful memory from my past and marking himself as mine while doing it.

"Fuck, I love you," I breathed, my watery eyes making him slightly blurry as I looked up at him.

His smile was magnetic and could have lit up the entire city of Seattle during a blackout. "Love you, too, sweet girl."

~oOo~

I lay back nervously in the reclined chair in the small room as Jimmy gathered the supplies he'd need. I'd volunteered to go first because I didn't want to watch Edward get his tattoo done and have my nerves multiply the longer I waited. Jimmy had asked if we wanted Vicki in the room with all of us, but we'd said we were fine. Since Edward was with me, we weren't worried about anything...untoward...happening. Jimmy looked a little rough around the edges, with long, dirty blond hair, pulled back in a ponytail at the base of his neck, a T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up a few times to expose the tattoos covering both his arms, and a few piercings – including one in his tongue that he kept clacking on his teeth. But as rough as he looked, his reputation was stellar.

"This isn't your first ink, right?" Jimmy asked as he rifled through a shelf in the cabinet.

Adjusting the thin sheet currently covering my lower body, I answered, "No, I got my first and only in high school."

He looked up sharply. "Here in Seattle?"

I shook my head warily. "Phoenix."

Nodding, he turned back to the cabinet. "We're pretty strict around here to report anyone for serving minors," he explained before turning back to us. "And you said a friend of yours had been in before?"

Edward laughed. "Emmett McCarty. He said to tell you – and I quote – _Eleven seventy-two...with a twist_."

Jimmy burst out laughing. "Holy shit! Biggest fucker you've ever seen, right?" He raised an eyebrow in thought as Edward and I laughed and nodded. "Military... Navy. No..." He looked down at the sketch for my tattoo and smirked. "Army, yeah..."

"Yeah, Army," Edward confirmed.

"How's he doin'?" Jimmy asked and then looked up at me. "I'm going to sanitize the area down with some rubbing alcohol and see if we need to clean up any hair. If you get uncomfortable, let me know."

Edward squeezed my hand and kept my gaze as Jimmy removed the sheet, leaving me bare from the waist down, and began prepping the area I was getting the tattoo. I'd been advised to skip underwear and wear loose pants, so my sweats were folded on the counter.

"He's good," Edward finally answered Jimmy, his eyes never leaving mine. "He got out in October for good, so he's back here in Seattle."

Jimmy nodded and made a sound to show he'd heard Edward, and then he told me, "Okay, check out the mirror here"—motioning with his head to the mirror he was now holding up so I had a view of the spot for the tattoo—"and let me know if this looks right. If it does, I'll apply the transfer."

I swallowed and looked down to see him holding up the transfer paper with the image of my tattoo on it. It seemed to be the perfect size – not too big but big enough you could read the date – and was right above my mound. I raised an eyebrow at Edward, who nodded. "Yeah, looks good," I finally told Jimmy.

Once he'd transferred the image, he had us look again, and when we said it was good, he pulled on latex gloves and began pouring the ink he'd need.

That's when I tuned it all out.

I knew the pain was coming, but I focused on Edward instead.

"Talk to me," I said, my voice shaky.

Edward pulled his stool closer and leaned into my ear. "I can't wait to see this finished, beautiful... The first chance I get, I'm going to run my tongue over and over that spot so you'll never forget why you got it."

We both ignored the sound of the tattooing machine as Jimmy started it, and when the needle first pierced my skin, Edward squeezed my hand and continued trying to distract me, whispering all sorts of dirty things into my ear that he wanted to do to me.

Edward Masen was the best distraction ever because before I knew it, Jimmy was sitting back and pulling off his gloves. "Do you want a picture before I put the ointment on?"

I laughed when Edward nodded.

"Do you mind if I take one for our portfolio? It'll be zoomed in quite close, so you won't see anything you shouldn't," he promised with a wink.

Shrugging, I said, "That's fine."

After they both snapped a photo – Jimmy with a camera he pulled from the cabinet and Edward with his cell phone – Jimmy pulled on fresh gloves.

"Okay, so this ointment," he said, holding up a white tube, "will help prevent an invasion of airborne bacteria that can cause infection. I'll tape a bandage on over it. You need to remove it – with clean hands – within a couple of hours. No more than three. This will help prevent the bandage from sticking to the skin."

He went to explain the rest of the aftercare instructions, telling us we would get a written copy before we left, as well.

Jimmy finally discarded his gloves and washed his hands in the room's sink. "I'm going to step out and give you a minute to get dressed. Be sure not to run the waist of the sweatpants over the tattoo. Just open the door when you're ready for me." He started to leave the room and then stopped. "Can I get either of you something to drink?" We shook our heads, so he turned and closed the door behind him.

"How ya' doin', beautiful?" Edward asked, helping me to sit up and then handing me my sweatpants.

"I'm okay. Didn't hurt nearly as bad as I remember the first one hurting – whether that's because of placement or distraction, I don't know," I teased, grinning at his proud smirk.

As soon as Edward was on the reclined chair, sans shirt, I opened the door and then took a seat on the stool Edward had been using after moving it around to his right side so Jimmy could get to his left.

Jimmy came in a couple of minutes later. "Feeling okay, Bella?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's okay."

"Good. Okay, so let's see. You want this above your heart, right?" Jimmy held up the sketch Laurent had made.

Edward nodded and motioned for me to turn. "Show him, please?"

I'd already put my outer shirt on, so rather than take it completely off, I pulled my arm out of the sleeve and allowed Jimmy to move my shirt enough that he could see the swan on my shoulderblade.

"I gotcha. Good, the sketch looks exactly like it." He pulled the shirt back up and then moved away so I could slide my arm back into the sleeve.

Edward's tattoo was a bit bigger than mine, but it was still simple enough that it took about the same amount of time for Jimmy to finish. By the time he stepped back, peeling off his gloves, I had tears in my eyes.

"You okay, sweet girl?" Edward asked, reaching up and brushing at my tears.

I nodded, sniffling. "Yeah, it's just...perfect."

He gave me a soft smile and pulled my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it once.

We went through taking the pictures, then the final step of the process with the ointment and bandage. I hoped Edward was listening to the aftercare procedures because I felt like I was floating – I heard them talking, but for the life of me, I couldn't have repeated what they'd said.

"Okay, since you guys paid before you came back here, you're done," Jimmy said, smiling when I finally jerked my head up from staring at Edward's new tattoo. "Stop by the counter and ask Vicki for the aftercare instructions. If you have any problems, let me know. Otherwise, enjoy – and if you decide to get more ink, please come back and see us."

"Thanks," Edward and I both told him, smiling.

"Oh, and if you see the big man, tell him to come in sometime and we'll talk about that other tat he was thinking of getting after he was done with the Army."

Edward laughed and nodded. "Will do."

Jimmy smiled and stepped out. We heard him tell Vicki that she could bring his next appointment back as soon as they got there.

I let go of Edward's hand so he could pull his shirt on, carefully easing it over the bandage.

Standing, he put his hand out and took mine once more. "Ready to go, beautiful?"

"Fuck, yes," I answered with a sigh. I knew we couldn't have sex for a couple of days because of where my new tattoo was, but I was determined to show Edward just how much I loved his choice of ink. "Let's go home."

**~oOo~**

**A/N #2: *laugh* I couldn't help the names for the people that worked in the tattoo shop. :)**

**You can see a picture of the stripes Bella used for her tattoo in all the usual places (my site & Deb's blog, with links to both on our profile).**

**This was all written by me (Jenny), because it just worked out that way. We have an idea for one more outtake, and it will all be written by Deb (but we're making no promises...IF it gets written, it will be AFTER her current Angelward story, **_**Haunted Angel**_**.)**

**Let us know what you thought, please. :) We LOVE to hear from you guys, you know that. It truly means the world. And to all our new readers, welcome & we hope you enjoyed the story!**

**Love you guys, Jenny**


	177. Chapter 177: Thank YOU!

Thank you SO VERY MUCH to all our readers! _Coming Home_ won First Place in Rob Attack's The Best Rec'd on FanFiction Fridays 2012 ~ Complete fic AND won Fic of the Month for June 2012 on The Lemonade Stand! We are thrilled, and we know it's because of all our readers, so thank you!

Deb & Jen


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